Harry Potter and the Heir of Gryffindor
by Rougue
Summary: Alternate Universe story. Voldemort has taken everything away from Harry, but now it is time to fight back. But when he new "protector" blurs the line between good and evil, can Harry fulfill his destiny without succumbing to evil itself? MATURE SITUATION
1. Prologue: Undying Grudge

**Harry Potter and the Heir of Gryffindor**

**Book Seven of the Harry Potter series**

**By Rougue**

Inspired by the song "Right Here" by Stain'd

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Harry Potter (unfortunately) or any of its established characters. This is not the official story of the seventh and final Harry Potter novel. This is a kind of "alternate universe" story.

The song "Right Here" is owned by Stain'd, one of the best rock bands around today. I don't own the song, though I wish I did. This song was my inspiration to write this story. You'll see what I mean.

I have no problem if you decide to reference my story if you are inspired by it. Just remember to give me a shout-out!

This story is for nonprofit purposes. So, please don't sue me, J. K. Rowling! Consider this free advertising (though I'm sure by now everyone in the civilized world knows who you are without my help).

SUMMARY: Harry Potter skips his seventh year at Hogwarts, leaving everyone he knows and loves behind to save the world. His friends return to school to prepare for the inevitable final battle. But Ginny just can't focus on anything but the young man she loves more than anything else in the world. And a controversial figure, whose very name strikes fear in the heart of even the worst Death Eaters, is about to come forward and take his place among the defenders of good. The Harry Potter against Lord Voldemort saga begins to end now. Hang on for the ride. Buckle up. It will be bumpy, but nothing like the ride Rowling took us on in the real seventh book. HPGW pairing.

Oh, and one more thing. Since J. K. Rowling is British and is a known Monty Python fan, every chapter in this story will contain at least one reference to Monty Python, so be on the lookout for that and try to identify what they are.

And now, to the story!

**Prologue: Undying Grudge**

Geoffrey Gryffindor was strolling casually through the halls of Hogwarts in the evening hours of January 2, 1975, bored as usual. Not even Professor Slughorn could keep him busy very long with work, and so he searched through the school for the marks left behind by his predecessors. For Geoffrey Gryffindor was a 52nd generation descendant of Godric Gryffindor, one of the four original founders of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry more than a thousand years ago. And at least six hundred Gryffindors before Geoff had walked down these halls, most with surnames other than Gryffindor, but still carrying the Gryffindor blood in their veins. His family lineage was something he was very proud of. It meant something to be a Gryffindor to him. And he had the classic Gryffindor look. Tall and lean (he was 5-foot-6) for his age (11 years old), with medium-length, shaggy brown hair and brownish-hazel eyes. In time, Geoff would become one of the most popular (and by female consensus, most handsome) young men in Hogwarts.

Geoff (as he was called by his friends, the closest of whom was fourth year Slytherin House student Severus Snape) was now walking near the gargoyle that blocked off the stairwell up to the Headmaster's office. Geoff enjoyed a good relationship with Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. _Then again, who doesn't?_ he thought to himself as was about to walk past the gargoyle whose eyes he could swear were following him. Even for him, Hogwarts continued to hold great mysteries and surprises.

Suddenly, Geoffrey stopped on the spot. He felt a cold chill running through his entire body for no apparent reason. But for Geoff, he knew it spelled trouble, for this was the way his mind told him trouble was coming. Geoffrey Gryffindor was born with telepathic powers. He knew that something dangerous was coming from behind the gargoyle. Geoffrey pulled out his wand immediately and faced the stone figure, pointing his wand at it.

Slowly, the gargoyle jumped aside and the wall behind it split apart. Geoff watched as a tall man came into sight. He was wearing a long black cloak, which made his face, pale as the snow that fell outside the castle, stick out. His face appeared waxy in some way, as though it was burned and blurred somehow. His eyes also appeared to be slightly bloodshot. Geoff felt nothing but bad news coming from this man who stood before him. His mind was screaming for him to run or disarm him, but it seemed like the man's gaze froze him where he stood.

"Are you going to use that wand or will I have to snap it?" the man asked briskly. He had a high-pitched and raspy voice that put Geoff even more on edge.

"I'm sorry," Geoffrey apologized as he pocketed his wand. While he did that, a gold chain around his neck was momentarily visible to the man, "What is your name?"

"You can call me Voldemort," the man responded as he held out his hand, "And you are . . . ?"

"Geoffrey," Geoff said as he gripped Voldemort's hand with his, noticing how unearthly cold it was, "Geoffrey Gryffindor."

"Gryffindor?" Voldemort asked, now very interested in this boy, "Are you, by any chance, a descendant of Godric Gryffindor?"

"Fifty-second generation descendant," Geoff answered proudly, "Do you want to see the proof of my lineage?"

"Gladly," Voldemort responded as he looked at Geoffrey.

Geoffrey reached under the collar of his red long-sleeved shirt and grabbed the gold chain which Voldemort had seen a moment earlier. Geoff pulled the chain up until a medallion came out from inside the shirt. Voldemort saw the medallion's small diamonds and rubies creating the outline of the Gryffindor lion, which was reared up on its hind legs and roaring as it was about to strike. Voldemort knew exactly what the medallion was.

"May I . . . see it?" Voldemort asked hesitantly, stretching out his right hand expectantly.

Geoffrey's mind told him that to let Voldemort anywhere near his medallion was a mistake. There was something about those eyes . . . they seemed to be glowing a dull red instead of just appearing bloodshot. But he realized that they were right next to the Headmaster's office and that if Voldemort tried to steal his family heirloom, Dumbledore would be out in a moment to stop him. _I guess it's okay to let him hold it for a few seconds,_ Geoff thought as he took the medallion off his neck and handed it over to Voldemort.

Voldemort's hand quickly closed around the medallion as he brought it closer to his face and looked at it. Indeed, it was the Gryffindor Family Medallion, passed down through the Gryffindor family from father or mother to favorite son or daughter. It proved that the boy standing before him was indeed a descendant of Godric Gryffindor himself. Voldemort already had a relic of three of the four Hogwarts founders already. _If only I could have this one . . . _Voldemort thought greedily.

Geoffrey saw the red in Voldemort's eyes suddenly glow bright. This scared Geoff very much. "I'd like it back now, please," he asked briskly.

"I'll buy this from you," Voldemort said quickly, "Name your price."

"I'm sorry," Geoff replied, "It's not for sale. My parents would kill me if I lost this in any way, if I didn't kill myself trying to get it back first."

Voldemort let the medallion slip out of his hands and into Geoffrey's. "I didn't think you would sell it," he informed, though Geoff had a feeling he was deciding whether he should try to take the medallion by force.

At that moment, the gargoyle jumped out off to the side again and the wall parted. Both Geoffrey and Voldemort looked at the door and saw Professor Dumbledore walk out. Like always to Geoff, he had the inextinguishable twinkle in his eye. "Trying to swindle Geoffrey out of his family heirloom, Tom?" he asked Voldemort with a smirk, but Geoff could see that the Headmaster was sad at something about the very pale man who stood before him.

"Of course not, Dumbledore," Voldemort replied, "I must be leaving now." He then walked down the hallway, his black cloak fluttering behind him.

"Sir, who was that man?" Geoff asked Dumbledore.

"His name is Tom Riddle," Professor Dumbledore responded, "And he used to be a student here at Hogwarts back when I was teaching Transfiguration. He was a very intelligent student, a prodigy in fact, but he was taken by dark forces inside him, I'm afraid."

"Why was he here?" Geoff inquired.

"He wanted to see if he could get a teaching job at Hogwarts," Dumbledore responded, "The Defense Against the Dark Arts job."

Everyone at Hogwarts knew that Professor Yeats would be retiring from that position at the end of this year. Geoffrey had many more questions about this mysterious man named Tom Riddle, but he had a feeling that Dumbledore did not want him to ask any more questions about him. And it wouldn't do him any good to try to read the Headmaster's mind; Dumbledore had learned how to block Geoffrey's mind probing almost immediately after school began. But Geoffrey Gryffindor had felt enough from Voldemort's presence to realize that he was a very dangerous wizard, with evil intentions for the world. And Geoffrey knew that one day, he and Voldemort would face each other in a battle to the death, with the fate of the world in the balance. It was always a Gryffindor's responsibility to fight evil, and he had just seen it.

"Is there anything you wanted to talk to me about, Geoffrey?" Dumbledore asked, that twinkle again in his eyes.

"No, not really," Geoff replied, "I was just taking a walk around the school."

Dumbledore smiled. "Well, you might want to get back to your room, or else someone may catch you in the hallways and may be very curious as what you may or may not be up to," he said, "Like dueling with a blancmange."

Geoff had a good laugh at that one. "Yes, Headmaster," he replied as he started walking back toward the Gryffindor common room, knowing that his mission in life was now clear. Like many other Gryffindors before him, Geoffrey would fight against evil to save his world. And there was no doubt in Geoff's mind that he would be the one to destroy Voldemort.

--

Geoffrey Gryffindor went through a doorway just four days after his fifteenth birthday on June 23, 1978, in the Gryffindor Manor in Great Yarmouth, England. The Gryffindor Manor was a magnificent mansion that had been originally built by Godric Gryffindor shortly after the founding of Hogwarts as a "summer school" of sorts for certain students to continue their education during the summer months. Later, it became a graduate school for wizards and witches to finish their education on teaching magic. From 1123 to 1495, the Hogwarts School of Teaching Witchcraft and Wizardry trained new wizard and witch teachers and professors, most of whom would go on to teach at Hogwarts, though it was famed throughout the Wizarding world as producing the best of the best teachers. In 1495, it was decided by the Ministry of Magic in England to move the Hogwarts Teaching School to Bangor, Wales. And thus, the Gryffindor family turned the former school into their home, handed down with the Gryffindor Family Medallion. That meant that Geoff would one day inherit the manor himself . . . provided he lived that long, which was no longer a certainty in this time.

"Hey Mum. Hey Dad," Geoff said as he came into the living room of the manor from a day with some friends from Hogwarts, "You wanted to talk to me?"

"Yes Geoff, we wanted to talk about your education plans for next year," his mother, Teresa Gryffindor, explained.

"My plans?" Geoff asked rather confused, "I plan on going to Hogwarts, like always."

"Son, you realize what it means to live anywhere in Great Britain right now," his father, Frank Gryffindor, replied, "What with this Voldemort going around killing good people."

"What are you trying to tell me?" Geoff asked, "Just get to the point."

His mother sighed as she handed a piece of parchment to Geoffrey. Geoff knew immediately that it was some sort of official form. He took a look at it. "The Worcester Wizard's Academy?" he asked, "What is this?"

"We want you to transfer to Worcester," his father explained calmly, "Your mother and I feel that it's too dangerous for you to stay in Britain now. With all the friends you have on both sides of this war, we don't want you getting caught in the middle of it. You'll be safe in the States and while Worcester is no Hogwarts, it's still a good school. Great Quidditch team, as well, from what I've heard."

Geoff's response was anything but calm. "So you want me to be the first Gryffindor in almost 1,200 years to not finish his or her education at Hogwarts?" he asked quickly and sharply.

"Geoff, you have to understand that your relations make you especially vulnerable," his mother pleaded, "You have to understand that we're just trying to do what's best for you. To keep you safe."

"My friends aren't things I can just shed from me when it's not convenient," he said as he took off the Gryffindor Medallion and handed it to his father, "Here, in case I do die, you can give it to Gina." He then walked out of the manor.

"What was that all about?" Severus Snape, who had just graduated from Hogwarts, asked as Geoffrey slammed the door behind him.

"Nothing important," Geoff replied as they walked away from the manor, a look of grim determination on his face.

Seeing the medallion back in his hand, Frank Gryffindor began to cry. Geoff would get the medallion back before returning to Hogwarts for his fifth year, but he had drawn a line almost five years ago. He would not be scared by Lord Voldemort in any way. He had stared the man in the eye and knew he was still human. He could be defeated and killed. And Geoffrey Gryffindor wanted to prove it. But right now, he had to catch up with another group of Hogwarts friends at a wedding. Unfortunately, Severus wasn't invited to this one.

--

A 17-year-old Geoffrey Gryffindor, Head Boy at Hogwarts now, was working on his speech for the June 20 graduation ceremony at Hogwarts on May 16, 1981 when all of a sudden he heard large cries from the Gryffindor common room. Immediately, he dropped his quill and the parchment he was holding and rushed downstairs to find his ex-girlfriend, Charity Burbage, crying her eyes out. There was a copy of the day's _Daily Prophet_ at her feet where she sat in a chair.

Geoff walked over and said, "Charity? Is something wrong?"

She looked up at Geoff and replied, "Just read the paper," then started crying again.

Geoff bent over and picked up the paper while the other girls comforted her, looking at the page that Charity had been reading.

"_...Reginald and Samantha Burbage disappeared yesterday. They were last seen in a gift shop in Diagon Alley, presumably searching to find a gift for their daughter's graduation from Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on June 20 . . . ,"_ Geoff read to himself, _Oh heavens above! Her parents are missing! This is awful!_

"Charity," he said to her, "I'm so sorry. I'm hope your parents are okay."

Charity stood up and slapped Geoff's face to the shock of everyone else present. "Geoff, just shut up! You know they're dead! You-Know-Who killed them! Stop trying to cheer me up! You always treat these things like they're nothing, it sickens me!" she shouted as she stormed away crying her pretty blue eyes out.

Geoff felt genuinely hurt by those comments, more than by the slap. He walked back into his room slowly, picked up his stuff, and laid down on his four-poster bed face up, staring at the ceiling. _Why does everyone fear him so much?_ he asked himself, _It makes no sense. He's only a wizard, nothing more. I will defeat him. No matter what anyone does to stop me, I will defeat him._

What Geoffrey Gryffindor did not see coming was that the young baby boy of two of his former schoolmates would "destroy" Voldemort just five months from now, and that his mission in life would no longer be to defeat the evil wizard, but to make sure that the baby boy, Harry Potter, would fulfill destiny one way or another. But before another year would pass, Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor would come to learn just why everyone feared this dark wizard. Voldemort would soon hurt Geoffrey Gryffindor in a way that would nearly kill him. But his survival would create a monster to rival the Dark Lord himself.

--

Author's Notes: Well, there's the beginning. I hope you liked it. Sorry for posting so late today, but I honestly thought today was Thursday and not Friday. But I posted the start of this story on time.

By the way, this story has gone through quite a few changes through its life so far, mostly due to Rowling filling in a lot of empty spaces with Deathly Hallows that I felt were much better than things I came up with. You'll notice a lot of things that I picked up directly from Deathly Hallows over the course of this story. It's not meant to be filling in for a lack of originality, but as it makes my story as a whole better with Rowling's explanations instead of my own.

With that in mind, however, there may be a few discrepancies within the story, such as different versions of the same story. A few of these will be intentional, but most of them will probably be things I overlooked in the editing process. So if you guys notice anything that just doesn't seem right or is different from what is said elsewhere in the story, please let me know through a review or a message of some kind.

The story is only a bit past the halfway mark in terms of being written, but I have a good idea of how the whole story will go at this point. It's all a matter of putting it down into words, which is harder than it sounds. But as I go through that process, things may have to change in prior chapters (which is why I don't enjoy posting stories until they are finished). My apologies for this, but I need to start posting this thing now. It's waited too long at this point already, but I didn't want to just leave behind a half-finished story.

Like in my prior story posted on this site (which is strongly recommend that you check out in the Zelda section), the writing quality will get better as time goes on. Keep an eye out for that.

Well, I think that's all I have to say for now. Until then, read, review, look for the Monty Python reference(s), and enjoy.


	2. 1: Coming of Age in a World of Danger

Author's Notes: While my story got over 160 hits in its first week (which is fantastic, thank you for so many looks), I got no reviews, which kinda disappoints me. Guys, I am more than happy to listen to your advice, so don't be afraid to give me some. And I am also willing to answer most questions (like Rowling, I'll have to keep some things back from time to time). SO don't be afraid to give me a review. I enjoy the attention.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was a bit obscure. It was when Dumbledore mentioned "Dueling a blancmange" to Geoffrey. This refers to a sketch from episode 7 of Monty Python's Flying Circus called "Blancmanges Playing Tennis," where blancmanges from the Andromeda Galaxy come to Earth and change everyone in England into Scotsmen in order to win the tennis finals at Wimbledon.

The Monty Python reference this week is also obscure as the actual quote used was deleted from the show tapes by the BBC as being unsuitable for airing for children. I'll explain next week.

Well, last week we looked at my hero. Now we get back to everyone's hero.

**Chapter One: Coming of Age in a World of Dangers**

Harry Potter woke up on that very same bed in the middle of the night. He groped around for his glasses on the small table next to him. Once he found his glasses and put them on, he pulled his wand out of his robes, which he had worn to bed, and said, "_Lumos!_" The tip of his wand illuminated the area around him with a dim white light. He looked to his right, but found an empty bed.

_That's odd,_ Harry thought as he stood up and got out of bed. He looked in the bunk above his bed, but Ron was gone too.

"Ron? Seamus? Anyone?" Harry called out, "Where are you guys?"

Harry then walked down the stairs and into the Gryffindor common room. Again, no one there. "Ron? Hermione? Ginny?" Harry called, "Is there anyone here?"

There was no response to his question. Something told him that he should go down the stairs and check out the first floor hallways, which is exactly what Harry did next, closing the Fat Lady's portrait behind him.

"And just where do you think you're going at this time of night?" the Fat Lady asked Harry.

"Do you know where everyone has gone?" he asked the portrait, "No one was in the dormitory."

"I did see some strange-looking people with masks leading them away," the Fat Lady replied.

"Thanks," he responded as he cautiously walked down the spiral staircase, keeping an eye out for these strange people, no doubt Death Eaters. As Harry got down to the ground floor hallways, he saw someone walking away from him. The person was obviously male and had swept back blonde hair.

"Malfoy," Harry muttered as he followed the traitorous Slytherin student wearing the green mask of a Death Eater down the ground floor hallways, making sure he was always out of sight should Malfoy get suspicious and turn around. But Malfoy didn't look back. He continued walking down the hallways until he walked into the Great Hall.

Harry quickly moved out into the doorway of the Great Hall, but then could move no more. Someone had cursed him into standing rooted to the place he was now. And he could only talk now as he indeed saw Voldemort and all his henchmen.

"Ah, Harry Potter, nice of you to join us," Voldemort said in his high-pitched, raspy voice that was more animal than human, "We've been expecting you for a while now. I had to send out Draco to make sure you were coming."

Harry then saw all his fellow Gryffindor schoolmates. All of them were on their knees, with their hands and ankles bound together by white cloths that also covered their eyes and gagged them. "Let them go, Voldemort! It's me you want! Not them!" Harry shouted back.

Voldemort simply laughed. "Oh, I'll get around to you later, Potter," Voldemort called, "But I think I'll have some fun with your friends first." He then walked over to one of the students who was bound and gagged. She was obviously female and had flaming red hair.

"No, please not her," Harry pleaded, "Not her!"

"You are in no position to bargain, Potter," Harry heard Snape chide from behind one of the masks, though he could not tell which one.

Voldemort stood Ginny Weasley on her feet and then quickly pulled off her blindfold and gag. Her scared brown eyes looked wildly around the room until they fell upon Harry. "Harry!" she yelled, "Please, help me!"

"Voldemort, leave Ginny alone!" Harry pleaded, "Just leave her alone! Kill me instead! Please!"

"Do you love her Potter?" Voldemort asked menacingly, "Then you just killed her yourself, because I will always take away all those whom you love the most. I always have, and I always will!" He then pulled a knife out of his black robes and put the sharp edge to Ginny's neck.

"Harry! I love you!" Ginny shouted as Voldemort pulled the knife back across Ginny's neck, cutting her jugular vein clear in two. Voldemort pushed her body forward onto the floor as a large pool of blood began to spread from around her neck.

"NO!" Harry screamed as he bolted up from his bed. Breathing hard and fast, his heart seeming to leap out of his chest with every beat as he looked around him, almost expecting to find Ginny face down on the floor in a pool of her own blood. Instead, he found nothing but his room at Number 4 Privet Drive, with his trunk still unpacked. And the cage for Harry's snowy owl, Hedwig, was standing empty on Harry's desk.

"Just another nightmare," Harry muttered to himself, "Just another nightmare." But this was the fourth nightmare Harry had in just as many nights about Voldemort killing those he loved, be it his parents, Sirius Black, Albus Dumbledore, or now Ginny Weasley. He ran his right hand halfway through his black hair and tried to shake off what he had seen. He then turned his green eyes up toward the clock on the other side of his room.

"11:59?" Harry thought, trying to remember what day it was. Being unsuccessful, he looked at the calendar below the clock and saw every day in July 1997 crossed off except for July 31.

Harry was stunned. "In less than a minute, I'll be seventeen," he realized as he looked back up at the clock and saw it hit midnight. Harry James Potter, The Boy Who Lived and The Chosen One, was now an adult in his world. And he knew that he had to leave Number 4, Privet Drive now. He had to leave it behind forever. Not that it hurt him to do so and he did have a place to go.

_I think I ought to leave behind a note for them,_ Harry suddenly thought almost from out of nowhere, _They could have just dropped me off at some orphanage and have been done with me, but they didn't._

With these thoughts in mind, Harry opened his chest and pulled out a quill, a piece of parchment, and a black ink bottle. He pushed aside Hedwig's cage and laid the piece of parchment out on the middle of his desk and placed the ink bottle down on the right side of the parchment. He uncorked the ink bottle as he thought of what to write to the people who had taken care of him for the better part of sixteen years, even if they never were very good parents to him. He dipped the quill in the black ink and began writing.

_Dear Uncle Vernon and Aunt Petunia,_

_I would like to thank you for everything you have done for me. Though that didn't turn out to be much, it was better than nothing. But for the better part of sixteen years, you gave me a roof to live under, clothes to wear, and food and drink. You could have just thrown me into the nearest orphanage when I arrived on your doorstep and you would have been done with me. But you didn't, and I thank you for that._

_But I am now seventeen, which means I have come of age in my world. So now, I must leave behind this house at Number 4, Privet Drive, probably never to return. I must return to my world and fulfill my destiny. I must destroy Lord Voldemort or else I will never be able to have peace in my life. You may have noticed that in recent nights I have been having nightmares about him. I know that these nightmares will continue until I destroy the man who killed my parents. Or until he kills me. So, this is a final goodbye to you, one way or another, for if I survive, I intend to never return to this place._

_Sincerely,_

_Harry James Potter_

Satisfied with his work, Harry corked the ink bottle again and put it back in his trunk with his quill. He then pulled his wand out of the trunk and closed the latches on the trunk. Harry pointed the wand at the trunk and whispered, "_Wingardium Leviosa!_" and the trunk lifted about a meter off the ground. Harry knew that the Decree for the Reasonable Restriction of Underage Sorcery no longer applied to him, but he would still probably get in trouble with the Ministry of Magic for using magic in a Muggle house, although the Ministry should be busy trying to find Voldemort and his followers.

"Busy, my bloody arse," he muttered at that thought as he placed Hedwig's empty cage on top of the levitating trunk. He still was incensed at the fact that an obviously innocent young man rotted in Azkaban while many of the true villains walked free on the streets. Then, he walked over to the door and slowly opened it and looked around to make sure that no one saw him leave. He neither saw nor heard anything out of the ordinary as he suddenly realized that he should use his Invisibility Cloak for this one, as Voldemort would almost certainly send Death Eaters to capture or kill him. In fact, as he thought about this, Harry thought it was a miracle that this house was still standing at this moment. He wasn't one to depend on continued good luck to keep him alive, so he turned back to the trunk and opened it again and pulled out his cloak and then closed the trunk again. Throwing the cloak over himself and his stuff, he then walked out of his room and onto the landing, making as little noise as he could as he walked down the stairs and into the hall. Looking back one last time he looked at the cupboard that for so long was his room. He turned back to the front door, walked to it, and then opened it quietly. He stepped outside and closed the door behind him, shutting the door on another chapter of his life.

Outside, it was lightly raining as Harry walked out to the sidewalk, his trunk following behind him as it floated about a meter off the ground. _How in the world am I going to get anywhere?_ Harry thought as he walked down Privet Drive, _I can't use Apparition on my stuff and I can't exactly use my broom to fly anywhere with my stuff. I'm stuck on foot to London._

"No!" Harry suddenly heard a masculine voice shout in pain from behind him. Harry turned around immediately, but couldn't see anything in the darkness.

"_Lumos!_" Harry muttered quietly as he raised his wand toward the voice. A white light came from the tip of his wand, revealing a hooded man wearing a black cloak, standing straight up a mere 20 feet away on the sidewalk. Harry knew immediately he was a Death Eater, even if the wand wasn't visible in his right hand by his side. Harry aimed his wand at his enemy, but something told him that this follower of Voldemort was no longer a threat to him.

"Get out of my mind!" the Death Eater murmured, his voice carrying a terror that Harry couldn't understand at the moment.

"Join me," another male voice proclaimed softly, gently, and warmly, "You fear your current master, but I will inspire your loyalty. He would treat you as a tool to be used and expended when the time is right. I will look at you as an equal, as a human being. Would he ever give you that?"

Harry now saw a second cloaked man walking up to the Death Eater from behind. This man was as far away from a Death Eater as one could get, he thought. He was not hooded, leaving his mane of shoulder-length brown hair exposed to the air. His brown eyes appeared soft and warm at first glance, but Harry saw that a hardness was being hidden at the moment. All these and his well-defined facial features gave him a very regal appearance. Added to that the red and gold robes he was wearing and his height of six feet, three inches made him appear extremely important. And somehow, Harry remembered that face, but he couldn't remember from where.

The Death Eater trembled through his entire body, trying to break free from the influence the other man was obviously having on him. "I cannot betray the Dark Lord!" he mourned as he attempted to raise his wand at Harry, using the light that appeared in front of him as his target, though Harry knew this was a futile gesture. Otherwise, the man behind him would have taken immediate action.

"You know who I am," the brown-haired man pointed out, "And I know that you cannot kill Harry Potter now."

"Get out of my mind, Geoffrey Gryffindor!" the Death Eater cried, quickly pushing the end of his wand into his own chest, "Or I'll make you leave it!"

"I'm sorry, but I must protect Harry Potter, first and foremost," Geoffrey stated, "I have waited almost sixteen years for this moment, and I will not fail him now. I want to help you as well, Charles, but I must protect Potter with my life."

"I'm sorry Gryffindor, but you cannot have my help," Charles replied, "_Avada Kedavra!_"

And with that, a green flash of light came from his wand. However, there was no space for a green bolt to develop. There was just a flash of green light and Charles's body collapsed to the sidewalk, dead before he stopped moving.

"Harry, your cloak, quickly!" Geoffrey called as he hurried next to the dead body, "The Ministry will be flocking down here in just a moment!"

Knowing that the man was right, Harry quickly rushed over to the wizard and the dead body with his case and crouched down, covering everything that showed signs of wrongdoing just as some footsteps were heard nearby, along with voices.

"It came from this area. We're certain of it!" a female voice claimed quietly.

"Well, I can't see any dead body here," a male voice replied, "It looks like the Death Eaters are pulling our legs. Lets get back to the Ministry." And with that, the two disappeared with a loud snap.

As Harry took off the Invisibility Cloak and put it into his trunk again, Geoffrey pulled a small knife out of his robes and began carving into the Death Eater's body. "Normally, I'd use my wand to do this, but I don't think that would be too wise in this part of England."

"What are you doing?" Harry asked when he saw what this man was doing.

"Making sure they know exactly who's guarding you now, Harry," Gryffindor replied as he continued to carve into the wizard's chest, "Don't worry, I plan on hiding this from Muggle eyes once I am finished."

Harry kept looking around, waiting for the next Death Eater to appear to try to kill him. Geoffrey laughed as he sensed Harry's anxiety. "I don't think they'll be so willing to attack you now, especially once they see that it was my handiwork."

"You must have killed many Death Eaters to do that," Harry commented as he turned his attention back to his new companion, "Are you in the Order?"

"It's more along the lines of 'how' I killed them and less of 'how many,' actually," Geoff clarified, "When I was just a teenager fresh out of Hogwarts, I beat six Death Eaters to death with my bare hands in the space of a month. I'll tell you that story later."

"But, that's impossible," Harry stated, "You can't simply beat a wizard to death with your bare hands, our magical nature prevents it."

"Not for me," Geoffrey claimed as he stood up and allowed Harry to gaze at the mark now carved into the Death Eater's chest. Harry recognized it immediately as the Gryffindor Crest.

"As for the Order," Geoffrey continued, "Lets just say I prefer to work alone."

"Alright," Harry answered with a nod.

"Harry, call for the Knight Bus now," Geoff ordered, "I will explain everything on our way out of here, but I need to use some magic, and we'll need to make a quick escape once I do that, but this body must be hidden from the Muggles."

Harry wanted to ask this man so many questions, but Geoff put his hand up to stop them. "No Harry, I'll answer those questions once we're on the Knight Bus. Call for it now," he requested as he pulled his wand out. It was the longest wand he had ever seen, at 18 inches long, and also one of the thinnest he had ever seen. It looked like a pointer used at a conference presentation.

Harry obliged Gryffindor's request and held out his right arm with his wand in it.Sure enough, in a matter of moments, Harry heard a loud crack and a purple triple-decker bus appeared almost as if out of thin air. The words "The Knight Bus" were written across the windshield of the bus. The bus had stopped suddenly next to Harry as the door slid open, revealing to Harry the new Knight Bus conductor.

"Welcome to the Knight Bus, emergency transport for the stranded witch or wizard," Katie Bell announced as she turned toward Harry, "Harry! What are you doing here?"

"Uh, I used to live here, Katie, but I'm surprised to see you too," Harry said as he stepped onto the bus and nodded to the driver, who was still the elderly Ernie Prang with his thick glass goggles, who waved back at him, "What are you doing here?"

"This is my job for now," Harry's former Gryffindor schoolmate answered, "They needed a new conductor, and the pay isn't bad. So Harry, where do you need to go?"

Harry thought about that as he made sure his belongings were securely on the floor of the Knight Bus. He had an appointment with the Weasley family, but it would probably cost a lot to get all the way to Ottery St. Catchpole, where Ron and Ginny and the Weasley family lived, from Little Whinging. But he was interrupted in his line of thought by Geoffrey.

"Harry, we need to go to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place," he called, "You'll be safe there without me, at least for now."

"That place is probably all moldy by now," Harry retorted, "How about we stay at the Leaky Cauldron instead?"

"Well, I suppose I could, but I have to go inside Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place first," Geoff replied, "We need to go there first."

Harry nodded and turned back to Katie. "Could you take us to Grimmauld Place?" Harry asked.

"That will be eleven Sickles," Katie informed, "And for another two Sickles, you can get some hot chocolate, and for another two you get a hot water bottle and a toothbrush, too."

Harry dug into his pocket and pulled out a small pile of coins. _I'm going to have to make a stop at Gringotts soon,_ Harry thought as he sorted out 11 silver Sickles and handed them to Katie. "Just the ride, thanks," he told his friend.

"No problem," Katie responded as she took the money from Harry, counted it, then put the Sickles in a small funnel next to Ernie's seat.

"Alright, get going now," Geoffrey said as he jumped through the door and it closed behind him, "And Miss Bell, you heard nothing about Number Twelve. Understood?"

"Yes Mr. Gryffindor," Katie responded immediately. It was obvious that they had met previously in some way.

It was at this time that the Knight Bus began to lurch around violently on the streets. Both Harry and Geoffrey had to grab onto the same railing above them to stay standing. "Thanks for saving me back there, Mr. Gryffindor," Harry thanked Geoffrey, feeling that this man could have been an old friend he had not seen in years.

"Please, call me Geoff," the man said, "All my friends and fellow Gryffindor schoolmates do."

"I see," Harry replied, "So why are you here to protect me?"

"Because your mother's protection ended less than 30 minutes ago," Geoff answered, "And I made a promise to myself that once you had come of age that I would keep you under my protection."

"How good is that protection, exactly?" Harry inquired.

"Better than what the Order could ever offer you," Geoff said in a matter-of-fact way, "The Death Eaters are deathly afraid of me. This isn't the place to talk about why that is, but suffice to say that as long as I am around you, Harry, Death Eaters will think twice about coming after you. And with the Ministry descending on the scene now, the Death Eaters will soon learn why they failed to kill you. Voldemort won't be happy, but he'll have to accept that his followers aren't as suicidal as he thinks they are."

Soon the Knight Bus arrived on Grimmauld Place, near Number Twelve.

"Oh, yes, I almost forgot," Geoff said loudly, "With your permission Harry, I would like to turn Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place into our base of operations. If you are going to destroy Voldemort, you're going to need some help from friends with high connections. And I have become a bit of a power broker in wizard Britain myself."

"Go ahead and use it however you want to," Harry responded, "Think you could take my stuff in there as well? I won't be needing any of it any time soon."

"Certainly," Geoff answered as he pointed his fingers at the trunk and the owl cage. They suddenly levitated off of the ground and followed Geoff's hand motions and floated out of the bus and onto the sidewalk nearest to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. "And don't worry about Hedwig, she'll be around soon enough, I think," Geoff added, smiling at Harry.

"How did you know?" Harry asked. That was exactly what he was thinking at that moment.

Geoff smiled. "That is something you will learn soon enough," he said as he walked off the bus. He then turned around and told Katie as he handed a gold Galleon to her, "Miss Bell, please don't leave just yet. I need to get something for Harry and come to the Leaky Cauldron with him."

Katie nodded as Geoff led Harry's stuff into his new house and Harry waited for him to come back out.

"So, what do you think of him, Harry?" Katie asked Harry as she pocketed the Galleon.

"He seems rather pompous and overconfident," Harry commented, "Especially with that comment about Death Eaters fearing him. I have never heard anyone say that about them unless referring to their fear of Voldemort." Indeed, though Harry would never outwardly admit it, Voldemort scared him greatly, though his anger toward him often hid that fear even from Harry himself.

After a couple of minutes, Geoff came back out of Harry's house. He turned around as he got back outside and yelled back into the house, "I'll deal with you later! I've got business to attend to, you wench!" as he slammed the door and carried a piece of parchment back to the Knight Bus. He looked rather frazzled by something as he walked onto the bus.

"Was that Mrs. Black you were yelling at?" Harry asked.

"Yes, the nerve of some pure-bloods!" Geoff replied exasperated and he gave the parchment to Harry, "I sometimes am surprised that there are any left. What a silly bunt. This parchment is the Final Will and Testament of Sirius Black, Harry. It clearly states that all of Black's possessions; his house, his money, his belongings, everything; are now yours. If you take this to Gringotts, you can have his money transferred to your vault. Don't worry about registering yourself as the new owner of Number 12, Grimmauld Place; I took the liberty of doing that a few weeks ago. Now, I have to get back in there. Even though you did a lot to the place two summers back, there is a large bit of work to be done still. I think I may need some help."

"Get whomever you need," Harry responded, "I really don't care for the place."

"Once you start getting a family, you will," Geoff said, "And speaking of family, I will be at the Weasley house soon enough as well."

"Are you telepathic?" Harry asked. Harry was just thinking about what was going to happen at the Weasley home in just two weeks' time.

Geoff laughed that cheerful, deep laugh of his and replied, "Why, yes, I am. Very good, Harry. I would expect no less from a fellow Gryffindor then for you to recognize that at last."

"What's going on at the Weasley's?" Katie asked, suddenly remembering that she had been invited to something in two weeks by George Weasley.

"Bill's getting married in two weeks," Harry replied.

"Oh, right," Katie suddenly remembered what the invitation was while Geoff said with a snort, "Getting married at that young an age? I swear, I hope he doesn't have the seven kids his parents ended up having. Not unless he has a well-paying job. You know, you can learn a thing or two from Fred and George. You don't see them contemplating having families yet, do you? They want to make themselves financially secure first."

Harry was about to ask Geoff some questions when Geoff said, "Those questions can wait until later, Harry. I will accompany you to the Leaky Cauldron," he said as he boarded the bus again, "You certainly have come of age in a world of dangers. Doesn't it seem like everyone is out to get you right now?"

"It sure does sometimes," Harry agreed.

"Well, there will always be people you can trust," Geoff replied, "And the most trustworthy may be the ones you least suspect."

"Well, onto the Leaky Cauldron!" Katie announced loudly as the bus door closed and the bus lurched forward again, stopping suddenly a few seconds later just outside the pub that was visible only to witches and wizards. Harry stepped off the bus as he said, "Thanks Katie."

"Just doing my job," Katie replied as Geoff left the bus and the door closed again on the bus and with a crack it disappeared again.

Harry decided that he would go to Diagon Alley to settle his godfather's accounts tomorrow. For now, he walked into the Leaky Cauldron to find a room for the next few days, with Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor watching over him now. And as he would find out over the course of time, Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor was just about the best trump card he could have in his fight for survival.

--

Author's Notes: This story is rated M for a reason. The beginning of this chapter is just a taste of the disturbing things to come. As I said before, this story is not for the faint of heart. This was just the beginning.

I originally didn't have any Death Eaters showing up at Number Four at this time. Looking back, I don't know how I could have been so stupid. But I couldn't be like Rowling and have them swarming all over the place. So I had Geoff leak the fact that he would be coming to protect Harry, which curtailed Death Eater activity severely. You'll see why that is in a few later chapters.

Well, that's all I have to say for now, I think. Until next read, review, look for the reference, and most importantly, enjoy.


	3. 2: What Must Be Done

Author's Notes: Well, I got more hits in the past week, but still no reviews yet. This story will probably pass 500 hits this week, which took my Zelda story something like two months to surpass. Again, feel free to give me your opinion on the story so far.

Well, the Monty Python reference in Chapter 1 was Geoff's quote of "What a silly bunt," when referring to Mrs. Black. This line comes from Episode 31 of Monty Python's Flying Circus from a sketch called "Travel Agent." As I stated last week, however, the BBC cut out the line from the recording of this episode because of the context of the quote. In this sketch, Eric Idle plays a man who replaces every "c" with a "b" due to a childhood experience. When the travel agency representative, played by Michael Palin, suggests replacing every "c" with a "k," Idle realizes how simple a solution it is and remarks "What a silly bunt." You can see what he actually is saying and the BBC didn't like it.

I'm not exactly sure that this week's Monty Python reference counts as one, but it's there anyway.

Well, here is the next chapter. Enjoy!

**Chapter 2: What Must Be Done**

Harry walked down Diagon Alley just before lunchtime on August 2. He had planned on doing what he was going to do now yesterday, but he ended up sleeping in until this time yesterday, then it took him six hours at Gringotts to get his finances in order. Five-and-a-half of those six hours were standing in line. Indeed, Bill Weasley was right; security at Gringotts had been stepped up by a huge amount. However, once he got to the front of the line, Harry didn't have a Probity Probe stuck into him in any way. But what would usually be a ten-minute long process had been turned into thirty by more security measures to make absolutely sure that Sirius's will was legitimate and to make sure Harry Potter was indeed Harry Potter, with Harry himself continuously looking over his shoulder to make sure no Death Eaters were on his trail. By the time Harry had finished this and had gotten some money out of his account, it was already close to night. He decided to call it a day and had returned to the Leaky Cauldron to settle in.

Now, he was going about some business he had meant to get to yesterday. The sky was still a gray overcast, as it had been for over a month now. And Harry was quite sure that until Voldemort was destroyed, the sky would pretty much remain that way for a while. But where Harry was going, there was always a bright mood. He walked past all the shops along Diagon Alley, which seemed to be in a very subdued mood now. Of course, Harry understood why that was. No matter how anyone looked at it, Voldemort was winning the war, and it seemed as if nothing could stop him, now that Professor Dumbledore was dead.

_Snape, I am going to kill you if I ever see you again,_ Harry thought angrily as he clenched his fists. To Harry, Dumbledore was the closest thing he ever had to a father. And Snape took that away from him without remorse or a second thought. Dumbledore had said he trusted Snape with his life. Harry knew better, but there was no convincing Dumbledore otherwise. Harry knew it was his job to get vengeance for what Snape had done. For killing the father who had trusted him as if he were his son.

Harry forgot about Snape as he approached the most colorful shop on Diagon Alley, Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes. Established with the help of the thousand Galleons that Harry won from the Tri-Wizard Tournament almost three years ago, the shop was the most popular one on Diagon Alley hands down. As Harry approached the shop, he saw that there were about ten customers already in the shop, along with Fred and George Weasley in their magenta robes, clashing with their flaming red hair.

"Two Patented Daydream Charms and a set of Love Potions," Harry heard either Fred or George say to a witch in purple robes, "That will be nine Galleons, four Sickles, and eleven Knuts, all worth it."

The witch handed some coins to the Weasley twin and left the store, passing by Harry with a huge grin on her face as she failed to notice him at all. The twins didn't seem to notice Harry either as they serviced the remaining customers while Harry took a look around at the wares the Weasley twins had created in the past year. Surprisingly, he didn't find much new. He found that the Nosebleed Nougats were sold out and the trick wands were almost all gone as well. However, the edible Dark Marks were gone completely, barrel and all. Harry could imagine why that was, and it wasn't due to their popularity.

"And have a very nice day," one of the twins said to the last customer at the front counter as Harry walked over to the shelf with the Patented Daydream Charms.

"Oi! Harry!" one of the Weasley twins called as they walked over to their most favored customer, "Good to see you again!"

"Hey Fred," Harry greeted, "Hey George. How's business?"

"It's pretty slow since Dumbledore died, unfortunately," George answered with his head bowed in respect, "It seems like everyone has submitted to the fate of being ruled by You-Know-Who."

"I just hope he lets us keep our shop open," Fred said.

"I doubt he would, but Voldemort still has to deal with me before he wins everything," Harry replied defiantly.

"Hello, fellow Gryffindors!" a voice familiar to Harry called from the door of the shop.

Harry turned and saw those red-and-gold robes again. "Geoff! What are you doing here?"

"To do business with these two fine young men," Geoffrey Gryffindor responded to Harry's question as Harry saw another man about Geoff's height walk up behind him. He was wearing a black trench coat and dark sunglasses, but his skin tone was about the same as Geoff's.

"Oh, Harry, this is my younger brother, Gary Gryffindor, and he is an interesting person," Geoff answered Harry's question as both Gryffindors walked into the shop, "He is a special kind of Squib. He has plenty of magic powers, but he can't use them in a normal way. Instead, he taps his magic powers through the use of Muggle technology."

"Yeah, that would be about right," Gary commented as he took off his sunglasses, revealing his brown eyes that had no trace of the hazel that his brother's had, they were just brown. And Gary Gryffindor's eyes seemed to suggest that something had happened to him to make him a hardened man, as they looked very dull and glassy compared to his brother's very vibrant eyes that almost had the same twinkle Dumbledore's eyes once had. His voice was also a bit deeper than his brother's. In most other respects, though, the two Gryffindor brothers were very much alike. Both were about 6-foot-3 and both had brown hair, although Gary's was cut much shorter than Geoff's. The hair and their clothes were the only ways Harry could tell them apart.

"So, Fred, George," Geoff said looking at the twins, "Lets get down to business. The more serious stuff is behind that curtain, I believe."

"That would be correct, Mr. Gryffindor," George responded as the two led Geoff toward the back room.

"Please, call me Geoff," Geoffrey told the twins as they walked behind the curtain, leaving Harry and Gary behind in the main part of the joke shop.

Harry watched as Geoffrey's brother leaned up against the wall close to the door and folded his arms. It looked to Harry like Gary was something of a bodyguard for his older brother. In his black clothing and with his blank stare, he looked very dangerous. After a few seconds, Gary looked right at Harry. His stare was extremely intimidating. "So, you are the famous Harry Potter?" he asked.

"That would be me, yes," Harry responded as he nodded, "What's it to you?"

"Not much, really," Gary replied, "I was just wondering what it's like to be as famous as you. You must have young witches crawling all over you," he added with a chuckle.

Harry laughed as well. "Not really, though I would be willing to bet I have a bit of a cult following that I don't know about, but I don't exactly have girls going after me all the time," Harry corrected, "Although there was that Romilda Vane who tried to poison me with a love potion."

Both Harry and Gary shared a laugh about that. "So, what is it that you do for a living?" Harry asked.

"Odd jobs here and there," Gary replied, "I've been helping my brother for the past few years, though."

"I see," Harry said as he walked over to the Patented Daydream Charms which Hermione first noticed last summer, "So I'm guessing you'll be staying at my house."

"That would be right," Gary replied, "If you don't mind, that is."

"I really don't care about it," Harry responded as he picked up one of the small boxes with the colorful picture of the handsome young man and the swooning young woman on the deck of a pirate ship, "As long as you don't start living off of my money."

Gary laughed and said, "Don't worry, my brother has funds completely under control. You won't have to pay for anything. Well, you may have to pay for that thing there, but that's a different story."

Harry snickered as he heard Geoff, Fred, and George coming back from the back room of the shop. "So, five Shield Cloaks, ten packets of Instant Darkness Powder, fifty Decoy Detonators, and two Pygmy Puffs, but you'll have to go elsewhere for a lovely bunch of coconuts, I'm afraid," George Weasley said, "That will be forty-four Galleons, four Sickles, and twenty Knuts."

Geoffrey reached into the sash around his waist and pulled out a small sack that jingled with coins. "Let me see here," Geoff said as he reached into the bag, grabbing a large handful of coins and putting them on the counter and began separating the coins out, "There's four Sickles, and there's ten Knuts and Galleons . . . "

"Harry, you don't have to pay for that, you know," Fred called out to Harry, who he saw was holding a Daydream Charm.

Gary looked at Harry. "Why is it free to you?" he asked with some interest.

"I provided the seed money for this shop," Harry explained, "I won the Tri-Wizard Tournament three years ago and . . . "

"Ah, yes, Cedric Diggory's death was a grave tragedy," Geoff recalled as he finished counting out the money to pay for his supplies, "His murder showed the utter contempt that beast Voldemort really has for life of any kind. It disgusts me that the Ministry showed the utter lack of concern it did about that incident. I am glad that Fudge was sacked, but they really are all a bunch of bureaucrats now. The entire Ministry needs to be shaken up from the top down."

"Why don't you run for Minister of Magic yourself?" George asked, "You could win the position."

"I'm simply not interested in that position," Geoff responded as he put all his supplies in a different sack, "I have my interests somewhere else."

"Like where?" Fred asked.

"That will remain my little secret for now," Geoff said as he smiled at the Weasley twins and turned around, "Oh, Harry, your owl turned up last night. Hedwig is one smart owl, one of the smartest I have ever come across."

"That's high praise from you, Geoff, considering what your job used to be," Gary commented as he grabbed his sunglasses out of a pocket on the inside of the trench coat, "Before Voldemort came back again."

"Yes, well, we all must sacrifice for what must be done," Geoff replied as Gary put on his sunglasses, "Will you two be at your brother's wedding?"

"Of course," George replied with a sly smile, "Wouldn't miss it for the world."

Geoff smiled as he turned toward Harry and said, "I'll see you in Ottery St. Catchpole on August 13 as well, Harry. We'll have some very important things to go over."

And with that, Geoffrey Gryffindor bowed to the three young wizards, and then left the store with his brother right behind him.

"So Harry, need anything else?" Fred asked slyly, "Maybe a fake wand for Hermione or . . . "

"I'm not going back to Hogwarts," Harry interrupted, "I have something else to attend to that is much more important than that."

Harry saw the look of shock on both Fred and George's faces and Harry knew that they didn't think he was joking. "But how are you going to finish school?" George asked quickly.

Harry shrugged. "There is just something I have to do," Harry responded, "I have to destroy Voldemort once and for all."

"Well, good luck with that," Fred said as he and George shook Harry's hand, knowing that they should be the last ones talking about finishing an education at Hogwarts, "And have fun with that product."

Harry nodded his head and left the shop. He looked at all the dreary shops along Diagon Alley, all the depressed faces of the witches and wizards as they tried to go about their lives as much as possible. All had seemed to resign to the fate of being ruled by Lord Voldemort until the end of time.

But there was still one hope for the forces of the light. And that hope now had a very powerful ally who had not only a reason, but also a destiny, to help him do what must be done.

--

Author's Notes: And there it is. I know it doesn't seem like good writing right now, but you'll see the writing improve with time. I assure you of that.

I really don't have anything else to say at this point, so please read, review, watch for the reference, and enjoy.


	4. 3: Back to Where It All Began

Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you who read my story in the past week. And a special thanks to all those who submitted a review.

thebladeofchaos: Thanks for the compliments. Please stay with me.

Okay, the Monty Python reference in the previous chapter was George remarking that the twins didn't have a "lovely bunch of coconuts" to sell to Geoff, obviously meant to be a joke. Supposedly, Monty Python recorded the song "I've Got a Lovely Bunch of Coconuts." However, Monty Python has actually never recorded this song themselves (surprising, I know). It is commonly miscredited to them, though, so that's how it works this time around.

In addition to a Monty Python reference, this chapter has a number of other ones as well, at least one of which is magic related, so watch out for that.

And finally, thanks to all of you readers for pushing this story over 500 hits already. It took my Zelda story at least a month before it hit that mark.

**Chapter 3: Back to Where It All Began**

Geoffrey Gryffindor, dressed in his red and gold robes, walked along the seventh floor corridor of the Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry on August 4, looking around and remembering all the fond memories he had of his days in school. To Geoff, it was as if he could see his former schoolmates walking around the recently rebuilt school. There in the library was Severus Snape, writing notes in his potions textbook. Geoff had seen all the tips and spells his best friend had come up with and knew them all by heart. He knew half of them before he was ten anyway, but the spells that he had discovered himself showed Snape's absolute mastery of potion making and understanding of dark magic.

Geoffrey arrived at the gargoyle guarding the spiral staircase up to the Headmaster's (or Headmistress's) office. Suddenly, he saw Tom Riddle standing there, holding his pendant with that red glare from his eyes. Geoff closed his eyes, shook his head, and then walked right through as he said, "Cosmic Creepers."

As the gargoyle moved aside, Geoffrey walked up the spiral staircase and prepared to meet a former mentor that he had not seen in a couple years. As he walked up the stairs, he could not help but think of the late Albus Dumbledore, his favorite professor at Hogwarts. Those twinkling eyes and that smile that seemed to shine through all darkness. All of it, gone from this world. Geoff had to stop on the staircase for a moment to get his thought together again. He had met with Severus shortly after the Battle of the Tower had occurred and Snape explained much of the present situation to him. It was then and there that Geoff had decided that he should get more involved with the struggle against Voldemort because he felt that Dumbledore's original plan was far too risky for his liking. To leave the fate of the wizarding world in the hands of two young wizards and one young, albeit brilliant, witch was complete folly to him, a plan doomed to failure from the start.

Geoff left that thought behind as he started walking back up the staircase again and to the door with "Interim Headmistress Minerva McGonagall" in enchanted golden letters on it. He knocked on the door three times.

"Come in, Mr. Gryffindor," a familiar, old female voice called to Geoff.

Geoffrey opened the door and stepped into the office, bowing to his former Transfiguration teacher as he said, "Professor McGonagall, it is good to see you again."

"It is comforting to see you, Mr. Gryffindor," McGonagall replied, "And you need not call me 'Professor' anymore." She gestured for Geoff to take a seat.

"My apologies, but it is a habit," Geoffrey explained as he sat down across the desk from Headmistress McGonagall, "One I'm sure I can break with time."

"I assume you know why I have called you here today," Minerva said.

"My application for the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position, yes," Geoffrey replied.

"Under normal circumstances, Geoffrey, I would have to say, 'We appreciate your interest in this position, Mr. Gryffindor, but because of your lack of teaching experience and your questionable qualifications, you will not be hired by Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry as the professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts.' Of course, these are not normal circumstances," Minerva explained.

"Are you saying I am the only applicant for the position?" Geoffrey asked. He was not going to probe McGonagall's mind for the answer himself. In fact, he was planning on turning away from his telepathic abilities for a while.

Minerva nodded. "That is exactly right," she replied, "It is very obvious that this job is cursed and that no one wants to have it except for you."

"So, I will be hired?" Geoffrey inquired, "I also have a unanimous vote of confidence from the Governors, if you'd like to see that."

"Geoffrey, I know that vote of confidence is only in your hands because all of the Governors owe you or your family a favor of some kind," McGonagall replied in a matter-of-fact way, "So that would not help you much with me, I'm afraid."

Geoff nodded in response. "Still, to know that the Governors are behind me can't hurt my chances," he stated, "So, do I get the position?"

"I want to ask you a few questions first," Minerva began, "First, why would you want this obviously cursed position?"

"Well, someone has to teach the students of this school how to defend themselves from the dangers that are out there," Geoffrey explained, "And I believe I can do that very well. I am not afraid of some curse put on that job."

"That job has killed people," Minerva pointed out.

"Minerva, I think I ought to tell you something," Geoffrey began, "After I left Hogwarts, I started to finish my training to find Lord Voldemort and destroy him. Of course, Harry Potter beat me to the punch, but I knew that he wasn't gone. I could almost feel it throughout my entire being. And so, for almost sixteen years, I have been preparing for his eventual return. I'm not afraid to die now. Death is not something I fear. Death is an inescapable fact of life, one that you must accept at some point. The only death I fear is one in which Voldemort continues to live."

"Then what do you fear?" Minerva asked, "We all fear something."

"The one thing I fear most of all is that I will be unimportant and not remembered by future generations," Geoff answered, "My greatest desire, besides seeing the Gryffindor family line continued beyond my children, is to be remembered for something. That is what I fear most, that I will die in obscurity."

"So you would be willing to, as the Americans say, go down in a blaze of glory?" Minerva inquired.

Geoff smiled. "If that flames are what it takes to remember my name, absolutely," he replied.

"You say you have changed, Geoffrey," Minerva said after a short pause, "But in one way, you are still the same Geoffrey Gryffindor I taught years ago. You still seem to be a stuck-up snob."

Geoff laughed. "I have heard that before," he replied.

"So, what do you intend to teach the students?" Minerva asked.

"Well, because of the enemies we have to face, I believe in giving the seventh year students all the tools they can get to defend themselves, including _Avada Kedavra_ and a few others . . . " Geoffrey began.

"No," Minerva replied instantly, "You cannot teach them that."

"Minerva, you know what we are up against," Geoffrey said as he stood up, "These Death Eaters aren't going to play fair with us. They will use all that they know against us. I'd like us to have at least a level playing field. Is that so much to ask for?"

"Mr. Gryffindor," Minerva replied as she stood up, "This is not a school where we teach our students how to kill others. There are other ways to defend yourself."

"Self-defense is a justified exception to the laws surrounding the use of the Unforgivable Curses, and you know that," Geoffrey responded, "You know the kind of danger we are all in."

Minerva paused for a moment, and then said, "It's just not right to teach them that."

"I'd rather not teach them it, but it's for their own good and their own safety," Geoffrey replied calmly, "I will be sure to tell them not to ever use the spell except in a case of self-defense when you can't get out in any other way and you will be killed unless you kill first. If I see anyone even fooling around with the spell, they will get a huge penalty."

Minerva sighed. "Well, if it must be done, it must be done," she said as she sat down again, "What else?"

"Well," Geoffrey began as he sat down as well, "Other than that slight modification, I don't think I will change anything in the Defense Against the Dark Arts curriculum, except maybe to bring a larger focus on defending against dark spells, but that is not a major change."

Minerva nodded, even though hearing Geoffrey call teaching the killing curse a "slight modification" made her extremely uneasy. "How long have you been studying the Defense Against the Dark Arts?" she asked.

"In the past sixteen years, I have encountered many different forms of the Dark Arts," Geoffrey began, "Werewolves, vampires, spells that were brand new and designed to torture in ways unimaginable. I have seen much of what the Dark Arts have to offer and I have found ways to counter them. I would be more than happy to pass those defenses onto the students. I consider it my responsibility and my duty to do so."

Minerva nodded and said as she stood up, "Well, Geoffrey Gryffindor, I would like to congratulate you on your employment as the professor of the Defense Against the Dark Arts classes at Hogwarts." She extended her right hand toward Geoff.

Geoffrey stood up as well and shook her hand. "The pleasure is all mine," he replied.

"I would also request that you take up the responsibility of being the Head of Gryffindor House," Minerva added, "Since it would obviously be a gross violation of ethics for the Headmistress to be a Head of House."

"It would be an honor to take on that duty," Geoffrey replied as the handshake ended, "Now, I must be off to collect my things for September 1."

"Before you go," Minerva said as he turned to leave, "I have heard credible reports that you saw Severus Snape in person recently."

Geoffrey stopped in his tracks. "I have recently met with Severus," he replied, knowing what was coming by common sense and wondering how Minerva knew about that.

"I would like to know why you made no attempt to apprehend and turn over Snape to the authorities," Minerva asked with an edge to her voice.

Geoff sighed as he turned around and replied, "Minerva, I know Severus. He has been my best friend ever since I was in my first year here at Hogwarts. He did not murder Dumbledore in cold blood. He wouldn't do that. He's on our side."

"That's what Albus said, and look at what happened to him," Minerva replied, "Can you pierce into his mind?"

"I wish I could," Geoff responded, "But he is on our side. Snape's word is as good as gold to me. He wouldn't betray us unless he absolutely had to."

"Whether you like it or not, Snape killed Albus Dumbledore," Minerva informed, "Harry Potter saw it with his own eyes. As far as I am concerned, Severus Snape is a Death Eater, plain and simple, and he is to be treated as such. And as I am Headmistress, my judgement is final on this matter. If you ever see him again and you don't turn him over to the authorities, you will be considered in collusion with the Death Eaters and with You-Know-Who and you will be sent to Azkaban. Is that clear?"

"Very clear, Minerva," Geoff replied, having no intentions of doing what she just told him to.

"And as for your staying at Number 12, Gimmauld Place, I hope you have gotten Mr. Potter's consent for that," Minerva said.

"I did, and speaking of Harry Potter," he began, "It is highly unlikely that he will attend Hogwarts this year. I would request that his seventh year courses be rescheduled for the school year beginning September 1, 1998."

"Granted," Minerva answered immediately, "I understand what Mr. Potter must do. You believe he will accomplish his task in a year's time?"

"He has the ability to do it, but I am not sure he will," he replied, "Now, I believe I will be on my way now."

"Before you go, I have one last thing to ask of you, Geoffrey," Minerva said, "I heard you applied for this position two years ago, but then withdrew your name from consideration. Albus's inability to hire a Defense Against the Dark Arts professor allowed the Ministry of Magic to cause all kinds of chaos at this school, chaos which even I wasn't exempt from."

"I came to St. Mungo's to visit you the moment I heard you were there," Geoff replied defensively.

"What would have been better for me was if I never had to go to St. Mungo's in the first place," McGonagall pointed out, "Which probably could have been avoided if you had been hired instead of us having to accept the completely incompetent and disgraceful Dolores Umbridge from the Ministry. Geoffrey, why did you withdraw your name from consideration two years ago?"

This was a subject Geoffrey Gryffindor didn't want to touch on, but he decided he did owe his former teacher an explanation of why she had to go to St. Mungo's. "Minerva," Geoffrey began, looking McGonagall right in the eyes, "I saw that the Ministry was trying to do whatever it took to enforce their will. Bloody hell, I was present at the show trial they put on for Harry. Of course, Dumbledore made that blow up in Fudge's face right from the start, but I was disgusted with Fudge's attitude and utter lack of professionalism. And I, too, saw the paranoia he was suffering from. When I first heard about 'Educational Decree 22,' I knew that he was going to spy on Dumbledore. Even though I felt that I wasn't ready for the job yet, I submitted my application to Albus and presented myself to the Ministry of Magic for official approval, as necessary by Educational Decree 15."

"So what happened?" Minerva asked, "Your past came back to haunt you?"

"In a manner of speaking, yes," Geoff affirmed, "You see, before my Wizengamot proceedings began seven years ago, I had a confidential conversation with Amelia Bones. I was willing to confess to those ten murders in return for three conditions. She told me that one of my conditions could not be given to me, and so I entered a plea of not guilty."

"Of course, I knew immediately that you were guilty of all ten killings," McGonagall interrupted.

"As you know, then," Gryffindor continued, not disturbed at all by what Minerva had just said, "The Wizengamot could not convict me of any of the killings, and so I was a free wizard. But the fact that I basically told Amelia I was willing to confess to them told her everything she needed to know. And somehow, Fudge knew that she knew. So when I went before Fudge for my approval, he told me he had reason to suspect that I was a serial killer, and therefore disqualify me from Ministry approval. He ordered Amelia into his office with me and threatened her job unless she told him what she knew about my crimes. I knew it was no idle threat, and I just couldn't put Amelia into that kind of situation. I told Fudge then and there that I would withdraw my name from consideration. When I told Albus about my decision, he told me that I had done the right thing, but I could hear the disappointment in his voice. I'm sorry, Minerva, but after all Amelia had done for my family and me, I couldn't be the cause of her being blackballed by Fudge, although I could tell she was willing to accept that fate." Geoffrey then lowered his head in respect to the late Amelia Bones.

"You were the better wizard, Geoffrey," McGonagall said comfortingly, "And you know it."

Geoff turned and looked out of a window to the south, looking at the lake where he once spent many times relaxing with his friends, many of whom had been taken away from him by now. He groaned in disgust at the use of that phrase. "Minerva, Dumbledore would always tell me to be the better wizard, and for a long time I lived by that rule," Geoff began with closed eyes, "But then, in the space of less than two months, I stood idly by while everything was taken from me. First it was James and Lily being murdered. The very next day, I was with Sirius to confront Peter about what happened, but Pettigrew went and made himself a hero while killing a dozen innocent muggles. One best friend-turned traitor to put another best friend in Azkaban for the rest of his life. I had lost four of my best friends in less than 24 hours. And then in December, Frank and Alice . . . ," and at this point, tears began rolling down his cheeks, "And ever since then, I have hated that phrase, 'Be the better wizard.'" He then turned to look right at McGonagall, who remembered all the events Geoff had just referred to. "Being the better wizard caused me to lose six of my best friends in the space of less than two months," he declared, "Not to mention the guilt of knowing that I could have saved Lily if I only took some action."

Minerva had to take a few deep breaths to keep herself from breaking down as well. The Geoffrey Gryffindor she saw now was completely different from the idealistic youth she once had called the son that Dumbledore never had, a title which she now bestowed to Harry Potter. This was a hardened man, willing to do whatever it took to defend whatever he saw as good. "I was wrong, Geoffrey," she finally apologized, "You have changed."

Geoffrey nodded his head as he wiped the tears from his eyes. "I am a wizard of action now," he said, "And if someone thinks they can kill those I love now and get away with it, they're wrong."

Minerva decided to see just how disenchanted with the late headmaster Gryffindor now was. "So you are saying that Dumbledore was weak?"

"No!" Geoff half-shouted immediately, anger in his eyes at that mere thought, "Albus Dumbledore was the greatest wizard of his time and defeated Gellert Grendelwald. He was not weak. His way is just not my way anymore. That does not make him weak. He was too noble to stoop to the means that I use now. He wasn't weak, and he wasn't a coward. He was a much greater wizard than I could ever hope to be."

Minerva paused to think of anything else she wanted to ask the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, but she couldn't think of anything else at the moment. "You may go, but I will have my eye on you, Geoff," Minerva finally stated, "I won't give you or anyone else preferential treatment."

Geoffrey smiled as he said, "I wouldn't have it any other way." He then left the room, closing the door behind him. He was perfectly aware of the events that he would have to help set in motion soon. And while a number of those things could get him a sentence in Azkaban, he knew what must be done. He was on his way down to the dungeons now. He needed to make a request from another one of his former mentors. More memories of these corridors came to his mind as he finally reached the one he had been looking for. He smelled something brewing on the other side of the old wooden door. He knocked three times.

"Cross the threshold, arrive, ingress, gain admittance, infiltrate," another familiar, old, but this time male, voice called from the other side of the door.

Geoff stifled a laugh as he opened the door. "Talk about abusing a thesaurus," Geoff called cheerfully in reply.

Horace Slughorn looked up from the potion he was brewing. He recognized the voice, but he couldn't believe his ears until he saw Geoffrey Gryffindor with his own eyes. "Geoffrey!" he shouted as he jogged down the central path between the desks in the room to give his former student a hug, "I haven't seen you in years!"

Geoff returned the embrace. "Well, you'll be seeing a lot more of me now," Geoff informed, "I work here now."

Horace let go of Geoff and looked him over. "Defense Against the Dark Arts?" he asked, knowing that was the only job which was open at the moment. Minerva had made it clear she would continue to teach Transfiguration this school year.

Geoff nodded in reply. "By the way, Horace," he said, "I have a few favors to ask of you."

--

Author's Notes: So there you go. Until next week, read, review, and enjoy yourselves.


	5. 4: Temporarily Reunited

Author's Notes: Thanks to all of the readers out there who read my story in the past week. And a special thanks to all who submitted a review.

ProfessorChris: Thanks for the encouragement. But let me tell you this right now. Geoff has higher goals than being a Head of House. I hope to hear more from you in the future.

Wow, and now we have broken 1,000 hits after just four weeks! Seriously, it took my first story three months to get that many hits. I'm so popular. Yay!

Okay, last week's Monty Python reference was when Horace Slughorn listed all those synonyms after Geoff had knocked on the door to the dungeon room. The line is a word-for-word quote of John Cleese's in episode 13 of Monty Python's Flying Circus. It's from a sketch titled "Psychiatry - Silly Sketch" where Terry Jones, dressed up as Napoleon, has just walked out in the middle of the sketch, complaining about how all these sketches are the same.

Another magic-based reference in the previous chapter was the password needed to get into the Headmistress's office. Cosmic Creepers was the name of Ms. Price's black cat in the Disney movie _Bedknobs and Broomsticks_, staring David Tomlinson and Angela Lansbury. It's a good movie, which is very similar in appearance to _Mary Poppins_, even including an interlude where the live actors interact with animated characters.

Well, now that that's out of the way, lets get back to the story.

**Chapter 4: Temporarily Reunited**

Harry apparated just outside of The Burrow just after noon on August 12. He had only a change of clothes with him; he couldn't stay here long.

Harry slowly walked up to the door of The Burrow and knocked on the door. After a few seconds, the door opened and he saw Mrs. Weasley who immediately hugged him.

"Oh, Harry!" she cried, "We were wondering when you were going to come around. Ginny has missed you so much. We were so worried that you had been captured!"

The very mention of Ginny's name brought an avalanche of guilt down on Harry's heart. After having almost two months to look back on it, Harry regretted that he had to break up with Ginny at the end of the school year. He knew it was something he had to do for Ginny's safety, but Harry felt terrible about it. And it wasn't just for Ginny's sake. He felt so lonely without her now.

"I can't stay long, Mrs. Weasley," Harry informed, "I can only stay for the wedding, and then I have to leave."

"Oh, Ginny is going to be upset about that," she responded as she let go of Harry, "She has been crying all summer long about you, Harry dear. I can't say that I blame her, though I can't fault you for calling it off with the situation as it is."

Harry was about to respond when he saw a door on the upper landing open and there she was. For a moment, Harry's heart felt like it had been lifted into his throat upon seeing Ginerva Weasley. She saw Harry and immediately shouted, "Harry!" as she ran down the stairs and rushed right into him and embraced him in a huge hug. Harry returned the gesture and for a moment, he was happy and content. There was no Lord Voldemort and no prophesy. There was no dangerous undertaking he had to perform and no sacrifice he had to make. Everything was perfect at this moment.

But then, the nightmare he had last night came to mind. It came back to him like a bad habit, with no way to stop it.

--

Harry stood over the rubble of his parents' house in Godric's Hallow at night. The sky was lit up as if it were day by lightning and the rain came pouring down all around him. The raindrops fell on his glasses and blurred his vision, but he didn't need to see anymore. He knew what had happened. Harry, with his wand in his right hand, looked down at the ground and saw a sickening sight that delighted him. At his feet lay the decapitated body of Lord Voldemort, black blood oozing out of the stump of his neck. Harry had been victorious. He had destroyed the evil that had terrorized his world for so many years and had killed so many people, including his own parents and godfather. Good had triumphed over evil, at last.

But Harry was not happy with this. He turned around and there on the ground, face-down, a body with flaming red hair in a black witch's robe. Harry staggered over to the body, his every step causing him great pain, knowing what he was about to see, yet refusing to believe it. He collapsed onto his knees and turned the body over.

And there he saw the terrible sight, the one that took every bit of joy out of his victory. There was Ginny Weasley's beautiful face, caught in an expression of absolute terror. Her bright brown eyes were wide open in fear. Harry felt her neck for a pulse. He felt nothing, just as he knew he would. He saw her get hit in the chest by a green bolt of light from Lord Voldemort just moments before Harry would cast the same spell onto Voldemort, killing the Dark Lord once and for all before cutting his head off with a knife to make sure that the task was complete. No more Horcruxes, no more Lord Voldemort.

But the price was too high for Harry to pay. He kissed Ginny's still-warm lips one last time, closing her eyes as he did. "I have nothing left to live for," he whispered to the body as he pulled away, "My destiny is fulfilled and all those I loved are dead. My parents, Sirius, Dumbledore, and now you. I have no business being here any longer." He then shoved the end of his wand into his chest and was about to cast one last spell onto himself.

Except that his strength finally failed him. His arms could no longer support even the weight of his wand. His wand slipped out of his fingers and fell to the ground next to Ginny as Harry collapsed on top of her, praying for death's embrace to take him.

"Just let me die," he muttered before he passed out, "Just let me be with her." But he had a feeling that his wounds would not prove fatal. And with his return to the world, he would have to wait more than a hundred years before being reunited with his love.

--

Harry opened his eyes from this flashback and looked down. There was that mane of flaming red hair, but he knew that this Ginny was alive and well. And Harry wanted to keep it that way, even if it meant that their hearts would have to break in the process.

"Great to see you too, Ginny," Harry said, "Are Ron and Hermione here?"

"You'd rather be with them than me?" Ginny said with a smile as she looked up at Harry, "Oh, you're no fun anymore." Mrs. Weasley chuckled.

"I need to talk to them about something important," Harry replied.

"They're both here and in Ron's room," Ginny informed him, "But I don't think you'll interrupt anything important."

Harry and Ginny shared a smile as they broke away from each other's embrace. "I'll talk to you later, Ginny," Harry said as he walked away toward Ron's room. He knew what his two best friends in the world had to do.

He reached Ron's room door and knocked once. "Who is it?" Ron's voice asked.

"It's me, Harry," Harry responded.

After about two seconds, the door opened up and Harry saw Ron, the closest thing he ever had to a brother in his life. "Oi Harry! We were starting to think you wouldn't show up!" Ron half-yelled as he hugged Harry, "It's great to see you!"

"Good to see you too, Ron," Harry replied as he walked into the room, "Hey Hermione."

Hermione put the book she was reading down in her lap and said, "Hey Harry."

"How long are you going to be staying?" Ron asked.

"Only long enough to see the wedding, I really can't stay here," Harry replied with his eyes looking at the ground, "There are just too many things I have to do right now, meaning I won't be going to back to Hogwarts."

"Harry, you know we'll be coming with you to help you," Hermione said in a comforting way.

"That's what I need to talk to you about," Harry replied, getting right to the point, "I have been thinking about that and I have come to the realization that if the Death Eaters attack Hogwarts, someone will have to lead its defense. I am almost certain the Death Eaters will attack it again this year. You two have to defend it."

"But Harry," Ron began.

"He does have a point, Ron," Hermione interrupted, "And after all, you are Head Boy."

Harry quickly turned back to Ron. "You're Head Boy?" he asked quickly.

"Yeah," Ron said with a nod, "And Hermione is Head Girl." What would have been the shocker of the millennium to Harry was if Hermione wasn't made Head Girl.

"Both from the same house," Hermione commented, "That hasn't happened in a while." She didn't want to remind Harry that it was his mother and father who were the last same-house Head Boy and Head Girl pair. "If it wasn't for what happened at the end of last year, Malfoy probably would have been made Head Boy," she added.

Harry felt a surge of anger through his body at the mention of Draco Malfoy, who had been ordered by Voldemort to kill Dumbledore. Though Harry had realized that Draco could never have built up the nerve to complete the mission himself, Malfoy was also on Harry's list of things to take care of. All those years of nonsense had built up into nothing but pure hatred for a young man who talked a big talk, yet fell well short when it came time to walk the walk.

"Harry, you really ought to finish school before you start your hunt for Voldemort," Hermione suggested, "It will make you more prepared for him."

"By then it'll be too late," Harry pointed out, "And I already have the knowledge to do this. Professor Dumbledore made sure of that. All I have to do is find the remaining four Horcruxes, and then find Voldemort."

"It won't be easy, mate," Ron said, "So I wish you the best of luck. We'll keep Hogwarts safe, don't you worry about that."

"Thanks guys," Harry said as he walked out of the room. He looked around, but Ginny was nowhere to be seen.

--

Ginny just couldn't sleep that night. She was too anxious about the wedding. And thinking of Harry wouldn't help her out either. She decided to take a walk through the house, so she left her room and walked across the upper landing to the stairs when she stopped at Harry's door. She had heard him say something from inside the room. She slid an extendable ear she had gotten from Fred and George under the door and listened.

"I am the most powerful wizard in the world, Weasley," she heard Harry say in the sort of way that told her that he was talking in his sleep, "And now, your family of blood traitors will suffer for its transgressions against your fellow pureblooded wizards and witches. I will kill your entire family, and I will start with you. _Avada Kedavra_."

At this point, Ginny, who was now frightened beyond all belief, burst into the room and saw Harry, sleeping face-up on his bed. He was now laughing maniacally.

"Harry, stop," Ginny said as she walked next to the bed.

"Granger, the mudblood, you'll be next!" Harry raved, his closed eyes making the scene too surreal to be believed and Ginny thought for a moment that she was the one dreaming, "You call for your hero. It is no use, for he is dead. I am Lord Voldemort!"

"Harry!" Ginny yelled.

Suddenly, Harry bolted up in bed and started breathing fast, a look of horror on his face as the bout of madness induced by this nightmare subsided. "Ginny," he said, though he hadn't even seen her yet.

"I'm here Harry," she replied as Harry turned to look in her direction.

"Oh, thank heavens!" Harry exclaimed as he hugged her, "It was just another nightmare."

"What happened?" Ginny asked as she reached her arms around to Harry's back.

"Well, I had killed Voldemort and I had cut off his head," Harry began, "And then I felt compelled to . . . to drink his blood." Harry was starting to lose whatever semblance of stability he had left and Ginny could see that as well. His body was shaking uncontrollably.

"Harry, please, it was just a nightmare," Ginny comforted.

"I picked up his head and I looked right into his eyes, those dark eyes. And then I put his head over mine and blood came down and into my open mouth," Harry continued, starting to sweat profusely, "I swallowed it all and then I saw you. My vision went all red and . . . "

"And then you killed me," Ginny finished for him.

Harry looked at Ginny and nodded. He then lowered his head into his palms as he shook his head. "I've been having these nightmares for weeks now," he said, "I think Voldemort is playing mind games with me."

Ginny knew she needed to get Harry's mind off of Voldemort, and quickly. "Harry, I couldn't sleep at all," she said.

"Why not?" Harry asked.

"I guess I'm a bit anxious about tomorrow," Ginny said as she sat down on Harry's left, "And I just can't stop thinking about you Harry. I just can't."

"Ginny, I have to tell you something," Harry began.

"Not now Harry," Ginny replied as she rested her head on Harry's left shoulder, "It can wait until tomorrow." Ginny knew what Harry was about to say, but she didn't want to spoil this moment.

Ginny would stay in Harry's room for the rest of the night.

--

Author's Notes: In the original version of this chapter, Harry actually did end up killing himself in the first nightmare sequence. However, I changed it as this story will end up with more than enough suicide scenes to warrant the M rating, along with a very disturbing sequence that is coming in the next chapter.

I will warn you all right now, the next chapter contains a sequence that is DEFINITELY not suitable for children and the impressionable. I will mark this section of the story off so that you can steer clear of it if you want to, but after that the choice is yours. Be careful.

Well, until next week, read, review, and enjoy. Oh, and Happy 232nd Birthday America!


	6. 5: A History of Violence

Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to all the readers who have read my story in the past week. And a special thanks to all the reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Suffering is something every hero in literature has to go through. I don't want to anger anyone here by saying this, but Harry has a lot in common with another messiah, Jesus. I won't spoil anything in _Deathly Hallows_ for those of you who haven't read it yet, but those of you who have will understand what I mean by that. The similarities are quite striking, really. And all the struggle really just makes the success at the end so sweet. Thanks for your support.

GinnysLove: I'm glad you like the start. As to where I'm going with this... well, I can't tell you. First of all, it would ruin the story for you. And I hate people who intentionally spoil stories to those who don't want it spoiled. Also, while I have a good idea of where I want to go with this, it isn't set in stone yet. But I'm getting there. Thanks for the support.

As for last chapter's Monty Python reference, thebladeofchaos got it right. It is when Ginny comments to Harry, "Oh, you're no fun anymore." This is from episode 7 of Monty Python's Flying Circus. The quote becomes a running joke throughout the first half of the episode. This week's reference may be a bit weak and no one is likely to get it, but it's there.

By the way, we've reached 1,500 hits! Keep it up guys!

And remember, I will mark off the flashback sequence in this chapter that I feel may be too disturbing for some readers.

Well, lets do this. Get ready, this is rather long.

**Chapter 5: A History of Violence**

The day of August 13, 1997 started out like any other. Another rainy day for the wedding of William Weasley and Fleur Delacour that would take place near Fleur's home in northern France at around noon. Bill and Fleur were already at the location where the wedding would take place, while the Weasley family would soon be very busy getting ready for the occasion.

Harry woke up at around 8:30 in the morning saw that Ginny was still with him, sleeping soundly right next to him. Harry sighed and stroked her red hair softly with his right hand as her forehead lay against his left shoulder. Harry had a feeling of security with her next to him that he couldn't explain. After he had gone back to sleep, he had felt another nightmare coming on, but somehow, it just turned into a dream that Harry couldn't remember now. One thing Harry could remember was that it involved Draco Malfoy and the lake near Hogwarts. Harry once again felt a huge conflict within him. The monster in his stomach was still alive and well, and was placated at the moment. But he knew that even the thought of being away from Ginny would make that monster awaken again in anger and fury. And Harry himself didn't want to leave Ginny behind, but she was safer away from him. And his recent nightmares didn't help, either.

_I can't bring her along,_ Harry thought as he continued to stroke her hair, _It would be too dangerous for her. She'll be much safer back at Hogwarts, with Ron and Hermione to look out for her._

A few minutes later, Ginny began to stir from her peaceful slumber. She opened her bright brown eyes and looked up at Harry. "Good morning, Harry," she said with a smile.

"Good morning, Ginny," Harry replied, smiling back at the young woman he loved.

Ginny giggled. "Well, today is the big day," she said as she got up from Harry's bed and stretched her arms out with a yawn.

"Yeah, it is," Harry replied as he sat up in the bed, "How are we all going to get to France? It takes a powerful wizard or witch to apparate that far."

"It's not all that far to the wedding," Ginny replied as she sat back down on the bed near Harry, "And from what dad says, we have a powerful wizard coming to help me get to the place. I don't know who it is, though."

"Well, we'll find out soon enough," Harry replied, looking at his watch, "The wedding starts in just over three hours."

"We've been asleep that long?" Ginny asked in a surprised way, "The family must already be up. And if they see me coming out of your room . . . "

"Well, you have to get dressed up for your part," Harry replied, "I have an idea. I'll get out first and distract everyone's attention while you sneak back into your room."

"Sounds good to me," Ginny replied. She then leaned over to Harry and kissed his lips. Harry kissed back, satisfying the monster within for now.

"I wonder what Percy would think about us dating at all," Harry said with a chuckle, "He'd probably want to start a ministry inquiry or something. It seems that he has never thought too highly of me."

"Well," Ginny began, "You'll be seeing him today."

Harry was unmoved by what she told him, but inside Harry had a little score to settle with Percy. Next to the Death Eaters and Lord Voldemort, Harry had never encountered anyone as soulless or heartless as Percy Ignatius Weasley. He had always followed his ambitions blindly, even if they broke him away most terribly with his family. Percy was now just a suck up to his boss, Minister of Magic Rufus Scrimgeour, as far as Harry was concerned. Any friendship he had with Percy had ended when his fifth year at Hogwarts began. Both Harry and Ron were infuriated by his nerve to say that Umbridge was in any way a "Really delightful woman."

"Well, we'll see what happens," Harry said as he stood up and walked to the door, "Remember, wait a minute before you leave this room."

"I will," Ginny replied as Harry left his room, closing the door behind him. He walked down from the landing and looked around. He saw no one outside of their room. After a minute, Harry heard a door open from on top of the landing open and shut. He looked up and saw Ginny.

And it was at this point that there was a knock on the front door. Harry and Ginny both jumped from how startled they were. Ginny quickly scurried into her room as Harry walked to the front door and looked through the peep hole. Geoffrey Gryffindor and the two Weasley twins were standing outside.

"Password?" Harry asked, remembering the procedure outlined by Mrs. Weasley yesterday.

"London Calling," Geoff answered immediately. That was the password for today.

Harry opened the door and let the three people into the house. "Good morning guys," Harry said as he shut the front door behind them.

"Good morning, Harry," Geoff replied as he handed Harry his good wizard's robes, "You'll probably want to change into those for today."

Harry took the robes and noticed that both Fred and George were also wearing good black robes. Geoff was once again wearing his red and gold robes. "Thanks," Harry said, "Are you getting us to France?"

Geoff nodded. "I'll be getting you to France," he replied, "If you can't get there on your own, that is."

"Thanks," Harry replied as he started walked back up to his room and got dressed.

--

"So, you're going to be our new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor?" Ron asked Geoffrey as the Weasley family with Harry and Hermione walked outside of The Burrow about half an hour before noon.

"That would be accurate, Mr. Weasley," Geoffrey responded, "And I hope to keep the job for more than a year."

"Good luck with that," Harry told Geoff, "The position is cursed."

"Yes, I have heard that before," Geoff replied, "But I am confident my demise will not come anytime soon."

As the group continued walking away from The Burrow, Harry slowed up and motioned to Ron and Hermione to slow up with him. "What is it Harry?" Hermione asked.

"This guy just acts so arrogant to the dangers around him," Harry informed, "He even spits in contempt at Voldemort. I'm kinda worried that will get him into all sorts of trouble."

"We'll keep an eye on him, mate," Ron promised, "But it looks like he can handle himself quite nicely. And he'll be Head of Gryffindor House, so he won't take points away from us."

"I sincerely doubt that, Ron," Hermione responded, shaking her head, "Professor McGonagall won't allow anyone to play favorites, and I don't expect Professor Slughorn to be like Snape."

Again, the name came up in Harry's head. And again, the feeling of unmatched hatred for the man who killed Albus Dumbledore and made his life a living hell. Harry's fists clenched once again and in his bright green eyes burned a fire that would not die until he beheld Severus Snape's dead body.

"Harry? What's wrong?" Hermione asked, seeing Harry's reaction.

"What?" Harry asked in a confused way as he broke out of his semi-trance and re-entered the real world again, "Oh, uh, nothing."

"Hey, are you three staying behind?" the three friends heard Geoff call back to them.

Harry, Ron, and Hermione jogged to catch up to the group as they approached a small item on the ground which Harry saw was a Muggle CD case. Harry recognized it almost immediately. It was the soundtrack to "Titanic," a new Muggle movie that would be coming out in less than three weeks. Supposedly, it was going to be a big hit. He was still skeptical, however.

"I thought we were apparating to France," Harry said, knowing a portkey when he saw one.

"For those of you who can apparate to France, you can," Geoff replied, "But since half of you have never seen the place the wedding will occur, you'll have to take the portkey here. I needed to bypass a few Ministry regulations, which is why I'm using a Muggle object. No trace of our using it will appear to the them; no offense Arthur, but I need to stay under their radar for now."

"None taken," Mr. Weasley replied as he nodded. "Did you take into account Percy will be there?"

"The lost sheep will not see our illegitimate arrival," Geoff responded, refusing to call Percy by his name, "I'm going to stay with Ron, Harry, Ginny, and Hermione. The rest of you lot go on ahead and distract him before we go."

The four in question nodded and separated themselves from each other out on the lawn. They then extended their right arms and spun around. They disappeared with four separate popping noises.

"Alright now, everyone, touch this item here," Geoff said as he picked up the CD case, "Sorry about how small it is, but I needed something I could quickly slip into my pocket. And after we all get back here, I'm going to have to destroy this thing. Not that we can use it, anyway."

"You could get a CD Player," Harry suggested.

Geoff shook his head. "The only Muggle technology I trust is the stuff my brother uses," he replied, "Okay, now everyone."

All of the wizards and witches still there placed their left hand on the CD case that Geoff was now holding at shoulder level. After just a moment, all of them felt like they were falling through darkness for a brief moment, then found themselves still holding the CD case, but now in a new setting. It was near the coastline and nearby everyone could see the wedding setup. They were now in northern France.

"Ah, good, just as I wanted, he is being distracted now," Geoff said as he slipped the CD case into a hidden pocket in his red and gold dress robes. Indeed, Percy Weasley was being distracted by his parents. He appeared to be in a heated argument with his father about something.

Harry, Ron, Hermione, Ginny and Geoffrey walked toward the small array of seats. On one side of the aisle were the seats that Fleur's family members were sitting in. Upon seeing Geoff, one of them rose to his feet and the rest of the family followed his lead.

"Geoff, what's going on here?" Harry asked about what the people just did.

"I'll explain it to you later, Harry," Geoff replied, trying to find a seat in the back row of the Weasley side of the aisle. Unfortunately, Percy also noticed Fleur's family standing and looked around, catching sight of Geoff.

"Geoffrey Gryffindor, the Ministry has been looking for you," Percy called out loudly with a frown on his face as he walked toward Geoff, "We need to have a word."

"Not here," Geoff hissed back at Percy, "Not in front of everyone. Show some class, Percival."

"Why not?" Percy asked, "Are you afraid your past will come back to haunt you here?"

"Follow me Percy," Geoff requested, though it was really more like an order, "Harry, please come with us."

Harry did as he was told and followed Geoff and Percy away from the wedding site. Looking back, he saw Fleur's family look at Percy with unmistakable looks of disgust on their faces.

"Percy, the Wizengamot never convicted me of anything, and you know that," Geoff said once they were out of hearing range of the wedding site, "And it was a fair trial."

"I know you ordered and planned those killings, even if the Wizengamot couldn't convict you of it," Percy retorted, pointing his finger at Geoff, "And I know you're planning something all over again."

"Why would you say that?" Geoff asked.

"You have come out of your quiet life," Percy answered, "And that can only mean that you are planning something very unethical and extremely illegal again. Just like those murders seven years ago. And I know you aren't working with the Order. My father would have said something about your activities by now if you were."

"What murders?" Harry asked, now looking at Geoff.

"Seven years ago," Percy began, "There was a string of grizzly killings involving former Death Eaters who had admitted their crimes and had served their punishments."

"You call public embarrassment suitable punishment for those sadistic killers?" Geoff asked, his voice filled with anger, "Those people would have rejoined Voldemort the moment they knew he was back. Whoever did it just saved your Ministry lackeys from themselves and their own contentedness."

"Who was killed?" Harry inquired.

"Again, a number of admitted Death Eaters," Percy repeated, "Many of them were thought of as suicides from a Killing Curse at point blank range. However, on closer examination, practically all the victims had suffered from cuts and bullet wounds designed to inflict a maximum amount of physical pain."

"What happened to those criminals needed to be done," Geoff stated, "And I applaud their efforts. Voldemort was still around and was about to return to Britain at that time."

"Yeah, he had possessed Professor Quirrell when he was in Albania," Harry remembered.

"Whoever took these actions may have saved dozens, even hundreds of lives by taking the lives of ten criminals," Geoff replied, "You do the math Percy."

"You are a murderer," Percy growled with his teeth stuck together, "That is all you are, Gryffindor. You have no right being here."

"No right?" Geoff asked indignantly, "I was invited here by your own parents and Miss Delacour's family. Don't you say I have no right to be here. Percy, when will you realize the apparent truth that if we do not unite together now, we will all be killed as we are divided? Stop with this nonsense and unite to do what you know is right. Don't let your ambitions rule you blindly."

"I see you have Harry Potter on your side now," Percy replied, looking at Harry with disgust, "I have nothing more to say to you, Mr. Gryffindor. But I do have something to say to Harry."

Geoff nodded and walked back to the wedding. "What do you want with me, Percy?" Harry asked irritated. He didn't appreciate what he was doing now at all.

"Harry, don't make this mistake," Percy warned, "Don't go with him. You're just asking for trouble."

"Percy, don't tell me what to do with my life," Harry replied, "Our friendship ended long ago."

"Harry, you must go to Hogwarts," Percy ordered, "You have to finish your education."

"I just can't," Harry said, "I have to destroy Lord Voldemort once and for all before he kills any more of those that I love."

"Speaking of which, stay away from Ginny," Percy stated quietly, a hint of anger in his voice.

Harry stood for a moment staring at Percy with his bright green eyes, then walked up to Percy and got into his face. "What happened and what will happen between Ginny and myself is between Ginny and myself. It is none of your concern," Harry warned as he walked past Percy Weasley and back to the wedding.

Percy remained standing there for a minute. _Harry, I will bring you down if I have to,_ he thought,_ No one is going to get in the Ministry's way. Not this time._ He then walked back and took his seat.

--

"William Weasley, do you take this woman, Fleur Delacour, to be your wife, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" the wizard presiding over the wedding asked Bill.

"I do," Bill replied as Fleur began to cry.

"And do you, Fleur Delacour, take this man, William Weasley, to be your husband, to have and to hold, to love and to cherish, for richer and for poorer, in sickness and in health, for as long as you both shall live?" the old wizard asked Fleur.

"I do," she replied as the tears kept coming down her face.

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you man and wife," the wizard declared, "You may kiss the bride."

Bill lifted the veil covering Fleur's face and kissed her. They stood there at the altar like that for a few seconds and then turned to walk down the aisle as everyone stood up and clapped. Mrs. Weasley was crying her eyes out, as expected. After the ceremony was over, Harry noticed Geoff had gotten up and was walking up to the old wizard who had presided over the wedding and shook his hand. "Thanks Dad," Geoff said.

"It's the least I could do, Geoffrey," Frank Gryffindor responded, strands of grey beginning to age his brown hair, "Besides, I needed to get back in touch with you and what you are doing. I assume you're going back to war with Gary."

Geoff nodded. "In times of crisis, a Gryffindor has always stepped up to defend all that is good and holy. I'm just upholding the family tradition."

"Not only are you proud of that, you're smug about it. Just don't get yourself killed for nothing," Frank warned, "I don't want to see Amelia being a widow anytime soon."

"I have no intentions on becoming a martyr," Geoff assured his father, "But you do have my final will and testament, just in case."

Frank nodded. "I love you son," he said, starting to cry.

"I love you too, dad," Geoff replied as father and son embraced each other.

"Harry, let's go," Harry heard Ginny whisper to him.

He turned toward Ginny and looked at her. "Alright, we need to have a talk anyway," Harry replied as he and Ginny stood up and walked away from the wedding site.

"Harry, I'm sorry for always being so hard on you," Ginny apologized.

"It's okay Ginny," Harry replied, "As long as you stay out of trouble. And don't get yourself hurt too badly."

"Harry, I want to come with you," Ginny blurted out, "You can't do this alone, you'll get killed."

"Ginny, I don't want to put you in danger," Harry replied, "And this is just something I have to do on my own. It's my destiny to kill him or to be killed by him."

At these words, Ginny looked at the ground. "Harry, please don't die on me," she said, "I don't know what I'd do without you. And plus without you, Voldemort would have nothing to stop him from getting what he wants."

"You're a pureblood Ginny," Harry pointed out, "You'd be safe for a while." Harry knew that this statement was a lie. The Weasley's were the best example of blood traitors in the wizarding world. They would not be safe from Voldemort and his followers. In fact, the Weasley's would be some of the first to die in Voldemort's new world order.

And Ginny knew it was a lie too. "Harry, don't try to sell me that nonsense," she replied as she shook her head, "My mother had two pureblood brothers who were killed by Death Eaters years ago. We aren't safe."

"_I know I've been mistaken,_

_But just give me a break and see the changes that I've made._

_I've got some imperfections,_

_But how can you collect them all and throw them in my face?. . ."_

Harry sighed. "Ginny, you can't come with me," Harry said, ending all debates on the matter, "You have to go back to Hogwarts with Ron and Hermione. You have to help defend it."

"Defend it?" Ginny asked.

"The Death Eaters will be back to take over Hogwarts, I just know it," Harry explained, "You have to help protect Hogwarts."

"At least promise you'll send me some owls," Ginny pleaded.

"I'll try to, Ginny," Harry replied, "But Geoff may not let me. A matter of secrecy or something of the sort. I'll try to talk to you Ginny, but don't expect much."

"Harry, I just want you to know that I'll be waiting for you," Ginny said looking right into Harry's eyes, "If you ever need me, you know where I am. And I'll be right there, waiting."

"_...But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting,_

_You always find the words to say to keep me right here waiting,_

_And if you chose to walk away, I'd still be right here waiting,_

_Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting. . . ."_

Harry nodded, knowing the place Ginny meant. Harry looked behind him and saw Geoff was approaching him. "I think I have to go now," he said to Ginny.

"Harry, in case we never get to talk to each other again," Ginny began, "I love you."

"I love you too, Ginny," Harry responded as Geoff stopped behind Harry.

"Here," Ginny said as she walked toward Harry and took a gold-colored clip out of her hair, "This will remind you of me when you need me the most."

"Thanks Ginny," Harry replied as he looked at the clip in his right hand.

"Harry, we have to get some things straight at your house," Geoff informed, "We have to leave now."

Harry nodded as he walked away from Ginny. Neither said goodbye to each other. They knew they would see each other again. But Harry knew, despite the agony of the creature inside him, that he needed to go on alone. He would eventually have to face Lord Voldemort alone, with no one's help.

_I will return this to you, Ginny, I swear it,_ Harry declared to himself as he put the clip in his pocket.

"Geoff, why did Fleur's family stand up when they saw you?" Harry inquired.

For the first time since Harry had met him, he saw a sad look in Geoff's eyes before he turned to face him. "Seven years ago," Geoff began, "Gary and I were tracking a known Death Eater named Eric Martin. He had taken part in several tortures and killings ordered by Voldemort, including the torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom, though from what I understand, he nearly lost his nerve after he saw what Bellatrix put those two through."

"You use her first name," Harry pointed out.

"Harry, you must understand that many of these Death Eaters went to Hogwarts with me," Geoffrey pointed out, "But Bellatrix left Hogwarts before I got there. I didn't know Martin well, either; he went to Durmstrang, not Hogwarts. He had escaped a life term in Azkaban by naming quite a few names, including Evan Rosier. In return, he was released from Azkaban and allowed to return to wizarding society. However, it was clear to my brother and me that he was still in league with Voldemort. He was the first one we tracked down, and after a month, we discovered that he was actually staying with the Delacour family one night as a guest. It was the opportunity we had been waiting for."

--

**WARNING****: The following section contains scenes that may not be suitable for all readers. Discretion is advised.**

Gary Gryffindor ran as fast as he could from his crouched stance the final 20 meters to the house near the northern shore of France in Normandy. If they had the time, Gary would have loved to see all the memorials around this area dedicated to those brave muggles who gave their lives during the Second Great War, but right now there was something more important to be done. Gary looked around quickly, saw that everything was quiet, stretched his right arm away from the house and waved his hand toward it.

Geoffrey Gryffindor stood up and ran in a similar way until he was against the house. Both were wearing black clothing and black masks that completely covered their faces except for two holes for their eyes. They looked exactly like burglars and, in a way, they were. However, what they were about to take from this family was something they wouldn't want in their home anyway.

"Well, here goes nothing," Geoff remarked quietly as he pulled out his wand.

"Do we really have to do it this way?" Gary asked as he pulled out a Glock 17 pistol with an attached silencer, "This whole thing seems just a bit over the top."

"Gary, Voldemort will be back in Britain soon, and we have to make it loud and clear that his followers will not be treated lightly," Geoff answered as he examined the window to his left, "And if Martin gives us some names, all the better, especially if he has any leads on Greyback."

At the mention of the infamous werewolf, Gary's teeth clenched and his hands gripped around the gun tightly as he pulled the slide back, chambering the first of 17 rounds. "I suppose these people wouldn't mind this if they knew who he was," Gary decided.

"My point exactly," Geoff replied as he pointed his wand at the window, "_Wingardium Leviosa."_

With that, the unlocked window slowly moved up in its frame without making a noise. Geoff climbed through first, wand always pointing forward and feet falling silently on the floor. Gary followed his older brother and began moving around the darkened house slowly when Gary saw something moving on the upper floor and tapped Geoff on the shoulder and pointed toward it.

Geoff saw the moving figure and knew immediately that their search was a success. It was Eric Martin, and he appeared to be sneaking around the house as well. He looked around a few times before walking up to a nearby door, a smile crossing his face as he pulled out his wand.

"_Alohomora,_" Martin whispered, which unlocked the door. Geoff knew something was very wrong as he closed the door behind him.

"Did he lock himself out of his room?" Gary asked his brother as they walked up the stairs.

"No, he's not supposed to go into that room," Geoff informed as he moved next to the door Martin had just entered, listening for some confirmation of trouble. He got it about a minute later. He heard the unmistakable sound of ripping fabric. Geoff's eyes went wide with the realization of what was going on inside the room. Without further hesitation, he kicked the door in as hard as he could.

As the door flew around into the room on its hinges, Geoff caught sight of Eric Martin, kneeling on a bed in the room. He looked up at the noise as he reached for the wand in his robes.

Geoff didn't give him the chance. "_Stupefy!_" he whispered strongly as he pointed his wand at the man on the bed. A bolt of red light flew from the tip of Geoff's wand and flew right into Martin's torso, throwing him off the bed with a groan and a thud as he fell unconscious.

"Gary, take him and get him out of here now," Geoff told his brother as Gary entered the room and holstered his gun, "I knew he was up to no good."

Gary looked at what Geoff saw on the bed. "Oh, bloody hell," he muttered as he walked over to Eric Martin's body and lifted it onto his right shoulder.

Geoff took off his mask as he looked at Martin's intended target, a young girl who had been sleeping on the bed. Geoff looked at her scared face and her disheveled silvery-blonde hair. Her frightened blue eyes told Geoff everything he had suspected, and her torn pajamas simply backed up that story.

"Il est correct," Geoff said soothingly in French to the girl, "Il ne vous blessera plus. Nous allons le prendre loin d'ici. Il ne vous reverra jamais." What he said was, "It's okay, he won't hurt you anymore. We're going to take him away from here. He'll never see you again."

All the girl did was whimper in reply, which Geoff decided was only logical after what she had just nearly went through. Suddenly, he and Gary heard French voices from inside the house, and they were getting closer.

"Geoff, we have to get out of here now," Gary implored to his brother, who was still looking at the girl, trying to comfort her. She was staring at Gary in fear.

Geoff shook his head slowly. "We have to tell her family what's going on," he replied, "Take off your mask Gary. You're scaring her."

"And you're scaring me with how bloody calm you are," Gary responded with an agitated voice as he grabbed his mask and pulled it off quickly, "Do you realize what her parents are going to think when they see us like this?"

Geoff stood up and put his wand back in his pocket and looked toward the opened door, appearing as unthreatening as possible. A few moments later, a French wizard appeared at the doorway and pointed his wand right at Geoffrey's chest. Upon seeing him, the man's eyes burned with anger. Geoff already has his hands raised to show he meant the man no harm.

"Qui êtes-vous?" the man asked, his voice full of ire, "Et diable vous font-ils dans ma maison?" He was asking, "Who are you? And what the hell are you doing in my house?"

"Est-ce que je peux parler en anglais?" Geoff inquired calmly as he showed his hands were empty. He had said, "Can I speak in English?"

"Oui, yes," the man answered, though his accent was still very noticeable.

"My name is Geoffrey Gryffindor," Geoff began, "And I apologize for my intrusion into your house, sir, but it was absolutely necessary."

"Why?" he asked, his wife now appearing behind him.

"The man you invited into your house as a guest is named Eric Martin," Geoff informed to couple, "A known Death Eater."

At this, the wizard's jaw dropped in fear. "What are you all doing in my daughter's room?" he asked, already having an idea what the sequence of events was.

"When my brother and I entered your house, we saw Martin sneaking toward this door," Geoff explained calmly as Gary walked up behind Geoff, still carrying Martin's body on his shoulder, "When I saw him use his wand to unlock the door, I knew he was up to no good. We found him kneeling on the bed in here. One of his hands was covering your daughter's mouth, while the other was . . . well, you can see the results of that hand's work for yourself."

He and Gary stepped out of the way as the girl's parents walked into the room and examined their daughter's clothing. Her mother immediately embraced her as she began to cry, while the man rushed at the unconscious man on Gary's shoulder. "Vous foutu fils d'une chienne!" he yelled as he attempted to strike him.

At this, Gary quickly pulled out his pistol and pointed it right at the wizard's head. He stopped in his tracks. "Sorry, but we need him first," Gary explained coldly, "He has information on the whereabouts of other Death Eaters, and possibly even You-Know-Who."

At this, the man stopped moving completely. "I... I thought he was dead," he stammered.

"No, he'll be back in Britain soon," Geoff explained as Gary holstered his gun, "And we need to ask Mr. Martin here a few questions. May we use your kitchen? We'll clean it up afterwards."

The man knew exactly what Geoff wanted to do to the man, and he had no problems with it. He would probably have done the same had he caught Martin himself, just without the interrogation part. "Sure, go ahead," he replied, "And thank you for saving my daughter."

"Don't mention it," Geoff replied as he and Gary went downstairs, the three family members following. As Gary entered the kitchen with Martin's body, Geoff looked back and saw that the man's wife was carrying her daughter. "I wouldn't let her hear this," Geoff warned, "Please, I think she's gone through enough tonight."

"Loraine," the man said, "Prise Fleur de nouveau à sa pièce s'il svp."

"Oui Jean," Loraine replied as she carried Fleur Delacour back to her room.

Geoff closed the kitchen door behind him as he saw Gary was already tying Martin's body onto a sturdy chair. Geoff looked on the kitchen table and saw that Gary had already removed Martin's wand from his clothing and put it where Martin couldn't use it against them. Geoff nodded to his brother as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Martin. "_Rennervate,_" he said quietly, causing a blue jet to leave his wand and hit Eric Martin, causing him to regain consciousness. He looked around and saw his situation was a hopeless one.

"Who are you?" he asked with hostility in his voice.

"Eric Martin, you still have a thing for young girls, it seems," Geoff answered with a sly smile on his face, "I suppose your master catered to that tendency of yours quite a bit, didn't he?"

Martin said nothing. Instead, he saw his wand on the table and was about so summon it to his right hand, which was bound to the arm of the chair by his wrist, when he saw Gary pull out his pistol and put it against Martin's head. Martin could tell that this was no ordinary Muggle gun.

"No Eric," Geoff warned, "You never fight fair, so we're not going to give you a fair fight. We're doing this by our rules now. The rules are we ask you questions, and you give us answers. And we have ways of making you answer if you don't want to. Understand?"

"I will tell you nothing," Eric declared defiantly, but Geoff saw something in his eyes that said otherwise.

"We shall see," Geoff replied as he kneeled down to Eric's eye level and looked him square in the eye, "Now, what do you know about Fenrir Greyback's current location?"

"I have no idea," Eric replied immediately, "He moves by his own accord, and no one except him knows where he is. The only one he takes orders from is the Dark Lord."

Geoff nodded, knowing that Martin was telling the truth on this one. "So you are not hiding him yourself?" Geoff asked.

"Are you crazy? Of course not!" Eric half-shouted in reply, "That beast is insane!"

Geoff then pulled a list of names out of a pocket in his clothes. "Alright then, how about the Carrows?" Geoff inquired, changing the subject, "What do you know about them?"

Martin hesitated for a moment. "I don't know where they are," he declared.

Geoff didn't believe that for a second. "Really?" he asked with his arms folded in front of his chest.

"Yeah, I don't know anything about them," Martin assured, though Geoff saw he was getting really nervous about that.

Geoff looked at Gary, who was still holding the gun to Eric's head. Geoff saw that Gary had the same doubts as he did. Geoff nodded to his brother, which was a silent signal to start applying pressure to him. Gary nodded back, then quickly moved the aim of his gun down to Martin's bounded left leg and squeezed the trigger once.

Contrary to what most people see in the movies, a suppressor on a gun does not completely silence its noise. For almost all guns, that is an impossible goal. Instead, most suppressors are designed to reduce the noise a gun makes and, in some cases, alter the sound the gun makes. In Gary's case, the suppressor on the Glock 17 reduced the noise of the shot enough so that while indoors, he wouldn't suffer hearing damage to his unprotected ears. Also, instead of the loud bang, the bullet fired with a loud clack, which would sound like a staple gun to a Muggle. To Jean Delacour, it sounded as if someone had just magically set a fire with a spell from their wand. However, the next noise he heard dispelled that notion from his mind immediately from his mind.

To Eric Martin, it felt like someone had just taken a sledgehammer and slammed it right into his upper leg, leaving behind a terrible burning sensation. As the magically-imbued 9 mm round tore into his leg, Martin screamed in agony, at first more in shock than in pain. But soon the pain kicked in, especially because the bullet didn't come out on the other side of his leg.

"We can do this the hard way or the easy way, Eric, it's your bloody choice," Geoff said loudly and calmly over Martin's cries of pain, "Where are the Carrows?"

And this process continued for about two hours, with Gary and Geoff providing additional "pressure" to Eric Martin whenever they knew he was being dishonest. Finally, Geoff found no more names on his list of suspects and therefore put it back in his pocket. He looked at Eric Martin once again, now a broken man. He had a bullet in both of his legs, along with multiple other injuries. He was bleeding all over, although Geoff could heal the cuts rather easily if he needed to. As Geoff looked at the man who sat before him, he decided that he had given him enough information.

"Eric," he said in a much softer voice than the one he had been using for most of the past two hours, "Thank you for all that you've told us."

Martin struggled to look up at Geoffrey. His blood had turned his blonde hair red and he could taste the blood going down his mouth. "You're going to kill me, aren't you?" he asked in a loud hoarse whisper, his head resting on his right shoulder.

"No, we'll make a deal with you," Geoff replied as he crouched down to be eye-to-eye with Eric again, "You promise not to go after underage girls again, and we'll patch you up and let you go."

Eric considered what Geoff had said for a moment. "I would think a man of your namesake would never resort to this," he commented.

"You forget that my last name is Gryffindor, not Dumbledore," Geoff pointed out, "My ancestors would have started cutting your fingers off about an hour ago. My family has never been a group of saints, Eric, although I know many make them out to be that way. And while I do respect Albus Dumbledore, I don't agree with his idealistic approach for dealing with your master at all. Not anymore, anyway. I am a man of action, as you have found out the hard way."

Eric laughed in spite of his own injuries. He had a very dark sense of humor. "Oh, why couldn't I have followed your banner instead of his?" he asked rhetorically, contemplating his own fate, "I've never been big on the whole pure-blood philosophy. I just thought he looked like such a great leader that he couldn't be wrong, you know?"

"And your time at Durmstrang didn't help you at all with not looking up to Voldemort," Gary commented, actually using the name, which caused Martin to make an involuntary flinch as Geoffrey used his own wand to start patching up his cuts.

"You know, this is an apt place to be talking about blood status," Geoff pointed out as he healed a particularly nasty gash on Eric's right shoulder, "Just north of here is the coast of Normandy. I know they don't offer Muggle studies at Durmstrang, but I'm sure you've heard of what muggles call either World War II or the Second Great War, right Eric?"

"Yeah, I've heard of it," Eric replied, starting to feel a little more comfortable now, "But I don't know much about it, really."

"The Second Great War was the most destructive war the Muggle world has ever seen," Geoff explained, "Some estimates put the number of muggles killed in that war at more than 72 million."

At the mention of that number, Eric's jaw dropped. "Are there even that many wizards and witches alive today?" he asked.

Geoff laughed for a moment. "Oh yes, many more," he assured, "You forget that there are more than 100 million living in the States alone. But you understand the scale that we're talking about here. And this war was triggered in great part by a Muggle named Adolf Hitler, who was the leader of Germany. He proclaimed that all races were inferior to the Aryan 'Master' race. Does that sound familiar at all?"

Eric thought for a moment, and then Geoff saw the epiphany in his face. "That's exactly like what the Dark Lord says about muggle-born witches and wizards," he reported, "But he also says that they are not even worthy to live."

Geoff had just begun work on Eric's leg wounds when Eric said that. "Well, Hitler said the same thing about the other races, basically," he continued, "And he practiced what he preached. Hitler ordered the organized murder of at least six million innocent muggles. And Voldemort would love to do the same to all the half-bloods and muggle-borns in the world. And another strange connection between Hitler and your master is that like Hitler, Voldemort isn't even a pure-blood."

This last revelation hit Martin harder than anything else he had experienced tonight, and he knew it wasn't a lie. And it also made him realize something about his own fate.

"Geoffrey Gryffindor, I have my own deal to offer you," Eric stated with strength in his voice, "And it's a very simple offer."

"You know something else that you didn't tell me before?" Geoff asked.

"No, I've told you everything," Eric admitted as he looked his torturer square in the eye, "I need you to kill me."

That demand didn't surprise Geoffrey at all. But he didn't want to see a human life be put to waste. "Why?" he inquired, trying to talk Martin out of this.

"The Dark Lord won't let me live, not after all I know and all I told you," Eric pointed out, "And he'll have me tortured worse than you could possibly imagine. I saw what the Death Eaters can do to you. What Lestrange did to the Longbottoms will haunt me to the grave."

"Can I ask you for one thing before I ascent to this deal?" Geoff inquired, "And this might be rather painful for you."

"Considering I'll be dead soon, does it really matter?" Eric asked in reply, "What do you want?"

"The torture of Frank and Alice Longbottom by Bellatrix Lestrange," Geoffrey replied.

That made Martin stop in his tracks. "You sure you want to see that?" Eric asked cautiously, "It made me rat out my group to the Ministry, you know. And I'm not the softest person in the world."

"I need to know what I'm up against, Eric," Geoff pointed out, "And Lestrange could be the most dangerous Death Eater out there. I don't care if she's in prison or not."

Eric nodded as he recalled what happened on that night. He began to weep almost immediately as the horror of that night came to mind. Geoffrey saw that he had gone into a state of shell shock as he vividly relived the incident again, as his face seemed calm but he was totally unresponsive. Geoff put the tip of his wand to Eric's head and then drew it away. Silvery wisps of the dreaded memory came out of Martin's head as Geoff stuffed the memory into a small glass bottle he had just taken out of his pocket and then corked the bottle. He placed both the bottle and his wand back in his pocket as Eric lay back in the chair and breathed heavily for a few minutes, trying to regain his composure.

"You know, you need not die here, Eric," Geoffrey pointed out, "We can protect you from your master."

Eric simply shook his head. "No, I'm not getting you into that kind of trouble," he said, "I am a dead man. And if he does me in, I know how terrible it could be, and it could even be worse than that. He won't let me live, and he'll make me die in the worst possible way. Just kill me now. I prefer the quick and painless death. Besides, I gave up on redeeming myself years ago. I am nothing but a criminal or the worst sort."

Gary responded by putting his pistol against Eric's head, but Geoff shook his head. "No, Gary, not that way," he denied as Gary holstered his weapon, "Let him loose."

Gary nodded and began to untie the ropes that held Martin into the chair, beginning with his ankles. After Gary had finished with his wrists, Eric stood up straight and grimaced in pain. "Those bullets are still in my legs, you know," he mentioned to Geoff.

"I had a funny feeling I forgot something," Geoff said with a chuckle as he retrieved Martin's wand from the table, "Want me to get rid of those?"

"No, it doesn't really matter," he replied, "Just finish this."

"Eric, if you're so keen on dying, why don't you just do this yourself?" Geoff asked the Death Eater.

Eric Martin thought for a moment about that. Then he nodded to the elder Gryffindor brother. "Give me my damn wand," he demanded.

"I leave the choice up to you, Eric," Geoff replied, handing the wand over, "Choose wisely."

"There is no damn choice here," Eric stated as he pointed the tip of his wand at his chest, "I have no desire to live on borrowed time." And with that, he closed his eyes and then said his final words, "_Avada Kedavra_."

And with that, a bright green light flashed from the wand, blinding the Gryffindor brothers for an instant. The next thing they saw was Eric Martin's body falling backwards and hitting the floor, his wand gripped in his right hand and his eyes wide open. He hit the floor with a hard thud and was completely motionless afterwards.

"Well, I suppose we have to clean up after ourselves now," Geoff commented.

--

About 20 minutes after the screaming stopped, Jean was starting to get concerned about what had happened in his kitchen when the door finally opened again. Geoffrey Gryffindor walked out of the room and shut the door behind him.

"Your kitchen is just how we found it now," Geoff assured Jean Delacour, "And you'll have no troubles with Mr. Martin anymore."

"You killed him?" Jean asked, panic beginning to take hold of him realizing what that may mean for him and his family.

"Well, he is dead, but I didn't kill him," Geoff corrected.

That didn't help Delacour. "Oh mon Dieu!" he began in his native tongue, "Ils vont venir après moi! Ils vont venir tuer ma famille!" What he said was, "Oh my God! They're going to come after me! They're going to come and kill my family!"

Geoff reached out and held Jean's shoulder lightly. "Jean, don't worry," Geoff assured, "I will make sure that the Death Eaters don't come after you or your family. I promise you that. If they come after anyone, it will be me. Trust me, they'll know you had nothing to do with this."

Jean nodded, although he still wasn't completely reassured by those words. "I can't believe he would do something like that to me," he remarked, "If you didn't break into my house, who knows what he would have done to my Fleur."

"That's your daughter's name?" Geoffrey asked.

"Oui," Jean replied.

"She is a very beautiful girl," Geoff commented.

"Well, my mother was a Veela," Jean admitted.

Geoff nodded. "That will do it," he said, "I'm sure she'll become a very beautiful woman."

"Thank you for everything, Monsieur Gryffindor," Jean said as he reached out his hand.

"No problem, Jean," Geoff replied as he shook his hand, "Just making sure the Death Eaters know that they won't get away with anything they want."

**End of sequence.**

--

"And ever since then, Mr. Delacour and I have been friends," Geoff finished his story, "So that's why his family greeted me as they did."

"I see," Harry replied.

"But enough living in the past," Geoff commented, "We have lots of work to do."

--

Author's Notes: And there you have it. Originally, that flashback sequence wasn't a part of this chapter. But I decided to explain what happened between the Delacours and Geoff,and thus the flashback sequence here. I also used it to set a big contrast between Dumbledore and Geoffrey. This isn't another old mentor who will discourage Harry from ever striking in anger or resorting to terrible tactics. This is a man with obvious flaws. He takes matters into his own hands to protect the things he holds dear to him. He isn't afraid to kill and while he bears the guilt, that guilt doesn't make his hesitate in doing what he feels has to be done. In many ways, this makes him more like Lord Voldemort than Albus Dumbledore. That's a point that I disagree with J.K. Rowling on. She made everything a simple good vs. evil thing when reality is never, ever that simple.If only it were that simple, but it isn't.

The title of this chapter was changed as well. The original title was too clunky, in my opinion. It's actually the same as the DC Comics graphic novel which was turned into a film in 2005. It also refers to Geoff and the history of violence that follows him. Later chapters will expand on that, including one which walks us through the important events of Geoff's life.

Also, I used an online translator for my French used in the flashback sequence, so I'm almost certain the sentences contain mistakes. If anyone with more knowledge of French than I do could correct them, I's be most grateful.

Well, that's all for now, I think. Until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	7. 6: A Prophesy at Godric's Hallow

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all of last week's readers, and especially to those who submitted a review.

ProfessorChris: Well, of course Harry has to talk to Ginny before he goes on his final adventure. For all they know, that's the last time they'll ever see each other again. As for the flashback sequence, I am a softy at heart and I can never see myself allowing that kind of thing to happen to a child in any of my stories. Thanks for the support.

thebladeofchaos: Thanks for the support. I'm glad you find this to your liking.

Last week's Monty Python reference was from the thirteenth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus from a sketch titled "Restaurant (Abuse/Cannibalism)" and is spoken by Michael Palin's character in the sketch, a restaurant owner, who talks about how his restaurant serves no animal meat of any kind and also admits "we're not only proud of that,we're smug of it." I think you can figure out where the sketch goes from its title.

Also a British reference from last week's chapter is the password to get into The Burrow, which thebladeofchaos picked up on. "London Calling" is, of course, one of the biggest hits from British punk band The Clash and one of the greatest bands of all time. The song is also the title of the album it's on, which is also one of the greatest music albums of all time.

This week's Monty Python reference is a little hard to find unless you know what to look for. If you do, then it's a no-brainer. Good luck!

And to everyone, 2,000 hits. I'm amazed by all your interest. It took my Zelda story 20 chapters to hit this mark, and you guys have done it in just six!

Alright then, lets get on with the show.

**Chapter 6: A Prophesy at Godric's Hallow**

Harry saw his snowy owl, Hedwig, flying toward Number 12, Grimmauld Place. It was the morning of August 25, 1997, only a week before the Hogwarts Express would take all the students except for Harry back to Hogwarts for another year of school. _Well, Malfoy won't be showing his face around Hogwarts anytime soon,_ Harry thought as he opened the window and let Hedwig into the house, _And Snape won't be around._ That thought nearly made Harry want to forget about Voldemort and return to Hogwarts to finish his education, but he knew what he had to do. He closed the window and then took the letter Hedwig was holding in her talons. Harry gave her a treat as she flew back into her cage on the nearby table.

Harry looked at the letter and saw that it was addressed to him, Harry Potter, Number 12, Grimmauld Place. The ink was bright green. It was from Hogwarts and Harry found the letter sealed with the Hogwarts stamp. He opened the letter and found a single piece of paper inside. He read the letter.

**Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry**

_Dear Harry James Potter,_

_I have received your request of a postponement of your seventh year of schooling at Hogwarts through Professor Geoffrey Gryffindor._

_It is regretful that you will not be returning to Hogwarts this year, but it is the school's policy to allow students to abstain from the school for whatever reasons they have. It is my hope that you will finish your Hogwarts education as soon as you possibly can._

_Sincerely,_

_Minerva McGonagall,_

_Interim Headmistress,_

_Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry_

_(Not deceased)_

_P.S.: Good luck on your quest, Harry. I wish you to remain safe._

Harry chuckled as he read the final line. _A little too late to be safe now, professor,_ he thought as Geoff walked into the room, wearing the black robes of a Hogwarts professor. But Harry could see that black just didn't fit his personality or his appearance.

"I never liked black very much," Geoff said as he looked up at Harry, "I always found it to be a dreary colour with no meaning. I have always liked the red and gold of Gryffindor."

"I think there's a very good reason for that," Harry replied.

"Ah well, I can't really wear my usual robes today. While I don't fear Voldemort, I do fear his followers, those bloodthirsty Death Eaters," Geoff admitted as Gary came walking into the room with his black trench coat on, "I actually met some of them in my days at Hogwarts, like poor Regulus Black. Only 19-years-old and he had to meet that sort of end."

"Yeah, I met him too. Such a terrible waste of a good wizard," Gary replied, "Of course, that wasn't as bad as what those blokes did to the Longbottoms, but we got Jerome for that. That was brutal, what we did to him."

Harry looked at Gary, and then back to Geoff. "Jerome? What are you guys talking about?" he asked.

"Anthony Jerome was a Death Eater that I went to Hogwarts with," Geoff answered, "He had done some pretty nasty things, and he was the one who found out where Frank and Alice Longbottom were after Voldemort's fall. Gary and I killed him seven years ago when we were tracking down Death Eaters. He was the last one of the ten we got to at that time."

"Why did you stop with him?" Harry inquired, "Did the Ministry finally get too close for comfort at that time?"

"That was part of it," Geoff admitted, "But by that time, Voldemort was returning to Britain and Gary and I decided that we had done enough. But enough about that. Harry, get your cloak on and come with us. We are going somewhere important now."

"Where?" Harry asked as he walked over to his trunk, now half-unpacked, and got his wizard's robes out.

"Godric's Hallow," Gary answered for his brother as he got his trench coat on, "Perhaps there is something that will help us find the remaining Voldemort horcruxes there."

Geoff laughed at this. "When we get back, we will actually be finding one of those damned things quite quickly," he said as Harry finished putting on his robes, "Alright Harry, we are ready to go."

"I'm not sure I can apparate there, though," Harry told Geoff.

"Because Gary is tagging along on this one, none of us are going to be apparating anywhere," Geoff replied as he looked at his brother, "Okay, we are all set, so lets go."

Geoff led Harry and Gary out of the door of Number 12, Grimmauld Place and out into the London air.

"Where is Godric's Hallow, anyway?"Harry asked, "No one has ever told me where it is."

"With good reason," Geoff replied as he walked up to the magically-modified muggle automobile on the street in front of them, "It's small and out of the way, just as it should have been. It is actually near the Gryffindor Mansion in Great Yarmouth. It's just a little south of there. It's a nice, small muggle village that is very peaceful. As far as I know, they have never cleared the ruins of the cottage James and Lily were hiding in. Part of the local lore now, actually, if I recall correctly."

Harry and Geoff slid into the back seat of the car while Gary got into the driver's seat and started driving the car to the countryside east of London.

--

It was about an hour past noon when the three travelers arrived in the small muggle village of Godric's Hallow. Gary stopped the car a short distance away from what appeared to be just a pile of stone. Getting out of the car and walking toward this, Harry noticed that what appeared to be the base of a wall was still standing about two feet tall. And in the middle of the rubble, Harry saw the remains of a staircase.

"Ah, Mr. Gryffindor, welcome back," Harry turned to see an old man shaking Geoff's hand, "It's good to see you again."

"Good to see you too, Nathan," Geoff responded as he turned toward Gary and Harry, "You know my brother, Gary, already. This here is Harry Potter."

Nathan gasped upon hearing the name Harry Potter. "Of course! Now I see the scar!" he said as he approached Harry, "Oh, my name is Nathan Ramsey, and it is a pleasure to meet you Mr. Potter!" He reached out his hand and shook Harry's hand enthusiastically.

"Harry, you are probably wondering how I know Nathan," Geoff correctly guessed, "Well, Mr. Ramsey was a professor of mine at Hogwarts. He taught Muggle Studies, actually. A very interesting class, if I do say so myself."

"Well, considering that you basically have a muggle for a brother, you should know a thing or two about how they survive," Gary said with a hint of bitterness in his voice, though obviously not aimed at Geoff himself.

"Yes, well, we are who we are, Gary," Geoff said with what Harry felt sounded something like guilt, "And there is nothing we can do to change that. So, Nathan, is the road here clear?"

"Oh, yes, it is," Nathan replied, "Why do you ask, Geoff?"

"Oh, nothing," Geoff replied as he approached the ruins in front of the group of four, "It's just I prefer to stay out of sight as much as possible."

Harry, Gary, and Nathan followed Geoff to the ruins when Geoff started to rub his temples when he got to the edge of the remains.

"Geoff? Is something wrong?" Harry asked.

"No, I just have gotten a bit of a headache all of a sudden," Geoff replied, "It's not a problem." But moments later, Harry heard a deep inhalation of breath from Geoff's mouth as he grabbed the sides of his head with his hands and collapsed to his knees. His eyes were shut and his face was looking up toward the sky with his mouth wide open. His entire face showed that he was in excruciating pain.

"Geoff!" Harry cried as he reached for his new companion, when Gary stopped him.

"It's alright," Gary explained, "He is having a vision right now. He will recover soon enough."

"It looks like he is having a seizure," Harry said as he looked back toward Geoff.

"That is what a muggle would call it," Gary agreed, "But the minds of certain wizards and witches, like Geoff's, actually see important things about the future when this happens to them. What muggle doctors see as brain cells firing off together at random is actually a stream of visions that some wizards and witches can see in their minds and interpret."

Harry suddenly remembered what happened to Professor Trelawney on the day he had taken his test in his third year with her in Divination. How she suddenly entered a trance similar to that which Geoff was in now, except she did not appear to be in the pain that Geoff was obviously in now.

"I've never seen a seer in this kind of pain before, though," Harry commented.

"That's because Geoff is not a true seer. He has the powers of one, but chose not to refine them," Gary replied as Geoff appeared to be coming out of his trance, "He never really liked the idea of Divination classes."

"Yeah, I can understand why," Harry responded as Geoff fell forward onto his hands before standing up slowly.

"What did you see, Geoffrey? What did you see?" Nathan asked his former pupil.

"I saw," Geoff began, still wobbling on his feet a little, "I saw a battle, on these ruins. I saw you, Harry, and I saw Lord Voldemort, fighting each other back where this all began so many years ago. I saw flashes of orange as a great battle rages here in Godric's Hallow once again. The fates of both the muggle world and the wizarding world rest on this one battle, the last in this dark war. Then I saw a body that was falling down, but never hit the ground. I don't know what that means, but that's what I saw."

Harry looked back at the ruins of the place that he was born in, now knowing that here was where he and Voldemort would fight each other for the last time. At least one of them would die here. _Maybe we'll kill each other here,_ Harry thought as he stepped onto the ruins of the house. He felt a strong attraction to this place. As he walked through the remains, the others continued in conversation.

"So, anyone here willing to bet any money on today's Quidditch World Cup finals?" Nathan inquired.

"What do you have for the spread?" Gary asked.

"Ireland beats the United States by 200 points in the third and final game," Nathan replied.

"I'll take the under," Geoff immediately said, reaching into his small sack of money and pulled out twenty galleons, "The American team is better than they are given credit for. Maximus Brankovitch III is a great captain for his team and one hell of a seeker. There's a reason the Fitchburg Finches have won the US Cup so many times so recently."

"Not to mention that Max is a friend of yours," Gary pointed out with a chuckle.

"Ireland is the reigning champion," Nathan reminded, "And the finals are in Spain, so Ireland will effectively have home-field advantage."

"Ireland is going to underestimate the US team quite a bit again," Geoff pointed out, "While I am surprised the United States made it to the finals and have pushed it to a third game in the first place, they will be less than 50 points back when the Snitch is caught. And Brankovitch will catch it this time. Twenty galleons on the United States to beat the spread."

"I'll register that bet," Nathan responded, taking the galleons, "Needless to say, the ending of the 423rd Quidditch World Cup should be an interesting one. It already has been interesting."

"With the best-of-three format they use now, most of the best teams make it through. No more unexpected upsets, although the USA may count as one," Geoff said as he started to look around, "Now, where did Harry get off to?"

Harry was still gazing around the ruins of the cottage, now looking at the remains of what appeared to be a staircase. He returned to the group when he heard his name called.

"I'm surprised you aren't in Madrid right now for this, Geoffrey," Nathan said.

"I'm a little busy with things here at the moment," Geoff replied as the group began to walk away from the ruins of the house, "And my sister Guinevere is going to be there watching and recording it. I'll be watching the game as soon as I meet up with her."

"Brother, perhaps we ought to get going back to London now," Gary suggested to Geoff, "We have some work to get to there."

"I'd like to visit my parents' graves first, actually," Harry requested.

"Yes, we'll let Harry do that before going back to London," Geoff decided, "It's only right." And with that, Geoff led Harry to the graveyard behind the church in the village.

--

Author's Notes: Yes, yes, I know now that Godric's Hallow is probably somewhere near the Wales-England border and not to the east of London, but I started this story before I learned that, and I didn't want to rearrange that detail.

Also, if you tell me that I have placed this Quidditch World Cup too early, I'm going to go over a bit of a discrepancy in the notes after next week's chapter to explain that. For the record, the number I put in the chapter for this World Cup isn't even the correct one.

And yes, Maximus (Latin for "greatest" or "largest") Brankovitch III is from _Quidditch Through the Ages_. All rights reserved to J.K. Rowling and all that jazz. I'll explain what's so significant about that next chapter.

I originally had the house Harry visits in this chapter being nothing but a pile of rubble, but I decided to keep some parts of the house standing. The locals don't repair it, so it just falls apart on its own over time.

Well, I think that's all for now. Until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	8. 7: One Step Closer to Victory

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all the readers who checked out my story last week. And a special thanks to all the reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Yes, we already knew someone was going to fall. Of course I can't reveal who will fall at this point. The transition is a little strange, yes, but this is some of my older writing. I can't remember when I abandoned this story to continue on with my Zelda one because of writer's block, but later chapters will be of better writing quality than these chapters. However, at the moment, I am not planning on writing a direct sequel to this story, though I am having thoughts about the other Harry Potter fanfic of mine, Echoes of a Lost Past, and how I would have a sequel that would completely erase the line that separates good from evil. Still, I need to finish this story first. Thanks for the support.

Okay, last week's Monty Python reference was McGonagall mentioning in her letter that she wasn't deceased. This is a play on something seen in several episodes in Monty Python's Flying Circus where letters from "viewers" are read to the audience. Most of these notes, usually in parentheses at the end of the letter, are quite humorous in the context of what the letter says. And at least once, the note "deceased" was used in one of these letters. So there you are.

The Monty Python reference this week is like last week's: near impossible to find unless you know what you're looking for. Although I have to say this one seems way out of line in the context of the story. Happy hunting!

And I am pleased to announce that this story is up to 2,500 hits! Amazing job, guys!

And now, on with the show!

**Chapter 7: One Step Closer to Victory**

"I know I bet for the United States to beat the spread," Geoffrey Gryffindor began as he stepped inside the house of Number 12, Grimmauld Place on the evening of August 25, 1997 with his younger brother Gary and Harry Potter, "But I wasn't counting on them winning the Cup."

"I don't think anyone outside of the United States team and fans were counting on it," Gary responded as he closed the door of the house behind them, "I'm telling you, there will be a great amount of debauchery in the American wizarding community tonight. They will be going crazy with this."

Harry understood why everyone was so shocked at this news. The Quidditch World Cup had just ended in Madrid, Spain with the third game of the final series between the United States of America and reigning champion Ireland. With the series tied at one game each, the United States pulled off what many were already calling the biggest upset in Quidditch World Cup history as they defeated Ireland 150-140 in the championship game, led by world-class seeker Maximus Brankovitch III. According to what Harry had heard so far, the game ended on one of the most bizarre plays anyone had ever seen. He would have to read tomorrow's Daily Prophet to get the whole story of the finals.

"I hope Guinevere recorded that whole thing well, because we need to see this, along with all the English fans singing 'Jerusalem'," Geoff said as he sat down in an old chair, "And I think Harry here could pick up some tips on being a great seeker from this game."

"But I won't be playing Quidditch this year," Harry pointed out, "I won't be in school."

"True," Geoff began, "But you have to think about things farther down the road. Now, assuming you defeat Voldemort, what are you going to do in life?"

"Well, I was thinking about being an auror," Harry answered.

"An admirable, yet dangerous, selection of a career from someone for whom tragedy seems to follow closely," Gary pointed out as he left the room.

"Harry, I don't know," Geoff replied as he looked at Harry, "I don't think I see a future auror in you. Assuming you're victorious, I think you'll have done enough for our world as is. I don't think that's what you're meant for after defeating Voldemort once and for all. Have you ever considered a career in professional Quidditch?"

Harry paused for a moment to think. "Well, no, I never really thought about that," he replied, "I don't think I'm good enough to play Quidditch professionally."

"Well, for now you're right, you don't have the talent yet," Geoff agreed, "But you definitely have the potential to be an outstanding seeker from what I have seen of you. You definitely have the stuff that makes a world-class seeker, Harry Potter. You just need the proper training, which you obviously can't get for the foreseeable future. But I can get it for you when the time comes."

"Assuming I survive Voldemort, couldn't I just play for the Gryffindor Quidditch team in my next year there?" Harry asked.

"Unfortunately, no," Geoff replied, "The Hogwarts rules on school sports are clear. Only students considered between true first-years and true seventh-years are allowed to compete in official school sporting events. You could practice with the team, but technically being an eighth-year student, you cannot play against the other houses in the official games. That wouldn't help you much anymore any way at that point. I know the best seeker trainer in all England, Harry. I'll get you ready to play Quidditch for a career. Don't worry about that."

"Alright," Harry replied, "Thanks Geoff. I would appreciate all that greatly."

"Don't mention it, Harry," Geoff said, "It's about time a young man with your talent was properly indulged instead of being pushed to the side, despite your great accomplishments."

"Spoiled, you mean?" Harry asked.

"No, not spoiled," Geoff made clear, "Properly indulged. There is a difference, and a very significant one at that."

"Whatever you say," Harry replied with a shrug. He didn't really see the difference right now.

At this time, Gary walked back into the room and walked over to his brother. Geoff looked up at his brother and asked, "Did you get it?"

Gary pulled a small, shiny object out of his pocket. Harry recognized it as a key of some kind. Looking around, Harry caught sight of an object he saw when he first came to Number 12, Grimmauld Place. Hanging on the chair Geoff was sitting on was a large gold locket, one which no spell or charm would open. He saw several people trying to two years ago, but failing to do so. But now, a recent tragedy in Harry's life made him focus on the locket's design. "Is that what I think it is?" Harry asked.

Geoff turned to look at Harry and read his mind, though he was certain what Harry meant by that. "Yes, it is," Geoff said, "That is what both Regulus Black and Headmaster Dumbledore died for. That is Slytherin's locket, and inside it is a piece of Voldemort's soul that must be destroyed. And destroyed it shall be."

"What has happened with that locket?" Harry asked as Geoff picked it up from off the chair.

Geoff looked down at the locket with a look of pain in his eyes. "This locket has caused me so much pain. This locket has killed two people whom I counted among my friends," Geoff began, "Years ago, Regulus Black joined with the Death Eaters, which his family was strangely very proud of. However, soon after he joined the group, Regulus was shocked almost to death by an action ordered by Voldemort. He was never the same after that, though he never told me what Voldemort wanted. I saw he was a man who was desperate. He wanted to get out of the Death Eaters, but the only way to get out of the Death Eaters is to die. He knew that, but he also discovered Voldemort's darkest secret. He learned all about his horcruxes. From what I understand, he switched the lockets and was then killed by whatever was in that cave. But he made sure that Kreacher got me this key, the key that opens the locket. And only months ago, Dumbledore died for a substitute of this locket. But now, we have the real thing, and we have to key to open it. Are we ready to destroy this travesty of humanity?"

"I'm properly armed," Gary replied as he pulled out from under his trench coat a large assault rifle. It startled Harry to see such a weapon, even though he had seen pictures of such weapons and worse in Muggle schoolbooks. "For all we know, though, whatever is inside that locket is immune to anything we can throw at it," Gary pointed out to his brother.

"Come on Gary," Geoff said as he stood up and pulled out his wand, "What's the worst it could be?"

"A manticore," Gary replied as Harry stood up as well with his wand out, "Or a nundu, or worse than that."

Harry had read about both those creatures in _Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them_ and the mention of both creatures made Harry shiver with terror that such a creature could be locked inside that locket. He knew that neither creature was easy to subdue, let alone kill. Manticores could be murderous creatures, and nundus were known to wipe out entire villages in Africa with its diseased breath. Harry didn't want to see either come out of that locket. Of course, if either did come out of the locket, he probably would be dead before he could realize what it was.

"Look, I don't think Voldemort would expect anyone to ever get this locket out of that damn cave," Geoff pointed out, "The only reason Regulus was able to get it was because he could get past Voldemort's defenses. I don't think there is anything inside this locket to defend it. It already had enough to defend it."

And with this statement, Geoff silenced his brother, who was still aiming his rifle at the locket in Geoff's left hand. "We must destroy Voldemort's horcruxes. Otherwise, he will rule this world forever, no matter what," Harry pointed out to Gary, "We have no choice. Geoff, open the locket."

Geoff nodded as he took the key in his right and pushed it into the keyhole of Slytherin's locket. Slowly, he turned the key until everyone heard a loud clicking noise. Suddenly, another sound came out of the locket. It was the chilling sound of a man screaming as if he were being stabbed to death. And then, nothing else. The locket fell silent as Geoff let it slip out of his fingers and it hit the floor, breaking it in half.

"Well, that's it for that horcrux," Geoff said as he slumped into the chair behind him, exhausted from the adrenaline that was still running through his body, "I believe that's three destroyed, am I right Harry?"

"If Voldemort made six, that's three down and three to go," Harry replied as he sat down as well, "I destroyed his diary, Dumbledore destroyed the soul in Slytherin's ring, and now you've just destroyed the horcrux inside Slytherin's locket. Now we just have to find the other three."

"Actually, I have that covered in a way," Geoff replied, "I've done some research on items that Voldemort would find significance in, and I have determined that the remaining horcruxes are most likely Helga Hufflepuff's Cup, Rowena Ravenclaw's lost necklace, and Nagini the snake."

"Unfortunately, my brother has little idea where those horcurxes might be," Gary added as he hooked his rifle back under his trench coat, "So that is something we're going to have to figure out."

"And there is another problem," Geoff said to Harry, "Tom Riddle's Diary, without a doubt, was a horcrux. However, we have to assume that Voldemort learned of its destruction through Lucius Malfoy, who is now in custody. If Voldemort learned of that event, it is possible he created another horcrux to replace the diary."

"We have to focus on the remaining three we know exist and hope that Voldemort was overconfident," Harry responded, "The reason why he created so many horcruxes in the first place was to lessen the loss of any one of them. And he certainly hasn't learned of the ring or this locket."

"I made sure I picked up Slytherin's ring after Dumbledore's death," Geoff said, "Voldemort had no idea of that one. And Regulus was able to trick the Death Eaters and Voldemort, even in death."

"I still have the fake locket," Harry added, "Voldemort has no clue about that one, either."

Gary nodded. "So, where might we look for the three remaining items?" he asked.

"Well, they will be hidden in places which Voldemort felt held great significance to wizard history or to himself," Harry answered, "The diary was left in Lucius Malfoy's care, the ring was hidden in the Gaunt house, and the locket was in a cave where only Voldemort knows what happened."

"So, where might the other horcruxes be?" Geoff asked.

"What else is important to Voldemort's past?" Gary asked.

"Hogwarts," Harry answered, "There has to be a horcrux hidden in Hogwarts somewhere. That is the most important place to Voldemort."

"I can look around for that one soon enough," Geoff told Harry, "I know now what the presence of a horcrux feels like, so I'll be able to find it. And I know most of that castle like the back of my hand. Where else?"

"Didn't Voldemort grow up in a halfway house or something like that?" Gary asked.

"No, it was an orphanage," Harry corrected, "An orphanage in London that must have been near Vauxhall Road, I think." He recognized some of the buildings he saw in Dumbledore's memory as being in that vicinity.

"The only orphanage I know of near Vauxhall Road was condemned about a month ago," Gary responded, "I'll go check it out when I get the chance. What else?"

"Well, the only other place I can think of is the Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton," Harry said, "That is where Voldemort first killed, so there might be something there."

"Little Hangleton? That's in northern England," Geoff said, "I've got an old friend there, I'll have that checked up on."

"I'm guessing I'm going to have me meet Frank Bryce again, right?" Gary asked.

"That's right, but at your convenience, of course," Geoff replied.

"Um, Frank Bryce is dead," Harry interrupted, "He was killed by Voldemort about three years ago."

Geoff and Gary looked at Harry together with looks of utter surprise on their faces. "Oh yeah, that's right," Geoff suddenly remembered, "I completely forgot about that. Well, I guess we'll have to start from scratch on that one."

"I think we should hold off finding any of the horcruxes for the time being," Gary pointed out, "If we raise too much of a ruckus, Voldemort will realize what we're up to and counter our every move."

"Good point, my brother," Geoff replied, "We'll just have to distract him for a while by destroying his infrastructure."

"What do you mean by that?" Harry asked.

"We're going to kill some Death Eaters, and use them to send a message to Voldemort," Gary replied, "That's what we're going to do. Any objections?"

At first, Harry wanted no part of this plan. He never wanted to kill others in cold blood, which is what he was being asked to do now. But he then gave some more thought to his situation. If he was going up against Voldemort, he would have to get through his followers first. Severus Snape and the ruthless and sadistic Bellatrix Lestrange were among those followers, and that was just the beginning, as far as Harry knew. He was going to need all the help he could get to thin out their ranks before making a run at their leader. This was something he would just have to do.

"I don't look forward to this, but I suppose we really have no choice," Harry responded after a moment, "It's kill or be killed from this point until it ends."

"Yes, that is a good assessment, though I hate to put it that way," Geoff said as he stood up and walked toward Harry, "And that's why I'm going to teach you a few spells you'll need to have in your bag of tricks for the road to come. So, lets begin our training."

--

From the pages of the Daily Prophet:

UPSET OF THE MILLENNIUM!

UNITED STATES DEFEATS IRELAND IN MADRID!

In what can only be described as the upset of the millennium in Quidditch, the over achieving players from the United States of America, led by world-class seeker Maximus Brankovitch III of the Fitchburg Finches, defeated reigning champion Ireland in the third and final game of the 423rd Quidditch World Cup by the count of 150-140.

"This is one of the greatest moments of my life!" Brankovitch exclaimed to reporters on the pitch as the stands in Madrid, Spain erupted into bedlam, "This win is going to do wonders for Quidditch in America. I've always dreamed of winning this game. Ever since I was old enough to ride a broom, I saw myself here, on this stage, winning it all. But this . . . this is more than I had ever dreamed of. The reality is just overwhelming!"

The US team had a tough road to travel to the final, as they were not favored to win any of their games from the quarterfinal onward. However, they defeated continental rival Canada in straight games in the quarterfinal round, and then won the last two games of a three-game set against powerhouse Bulgaria in the semifinal to face reigning champion Ireland for the cup.

The USA team came out of the box with a surprise win in the first game of the final, defeating Ireland 460-390 in a game which the Irish team admitted they had overlooked. They did not make the same mistake in the second game, which they thoroughly dominated by the count of 560-50.

"We went down 160-0 in that game within six minutes, and I had to start playing offense and defense," Brankovitch explained of that game after it was finished, "And the Snitch didn't appear for a long while and when it did, I couldn't get it since we were down so much. I could only keep it away from Aidan Lynch for so long and he eventually got it. I have to apologize to all our fans back in the States, we really sucked out there today, but I guarantee that we will come home with the cup."

Many labeled this claim as overly optimistic, as the US team entered the third game 120-point underdogs to an Irish team that was simply unstoppable two days earlier. And that was with the assumption that a disgusted Brankovitch would catch the Snitch with his team down 270 points. With more than 120,000 screaming fans in attendance and hundreds of millions more listening over WWN worldwide, the United States came out with an unusual game plan.

"Our goal from the beginning of this game was to play solid defense, first of all, and then to burn time. Scoring was not a priority at all except for getting the Snitch when it appeared and hoping that we weren't down 150 or more when it did appear. We knew that Ireland's chasers were just too good to play their game," Brankovitch explained at the post game press conference, "And our strategy just barely worked."

After an hour and a half of tiring play, the US was down 140-0 when the Snitch appeared for the first time. For the next 30 seconds, Brankovitch and Lynch battled for position in trying to capture the small golden orb when, as the American was starting to gain the upper hand, Lynch elbowed Brankovitch in the chest. A foul would have been called for cobbing, but Brankovitch clutched his neck and dove to the pitch immediately, coughing all the way down. The other 13 players and the officials gathered around as finally Maximus coughed up the Golden Snitch. He immediately pounced on it, ending the game and the Quidditch World Cup.

Ireland protested the capture of the Snitch, but the officials would have none of it. "Lynch's action at the end of this game was completely unacceptable," head official Jose Rivera stated at the post match press conference, "He deliberately tried to knock Brankovitch off his broom when he saw that he was not going to get the Snitch. We were about to call a foul when Brankovitch half-swallowed the Golden Snitch. There is precedent for this kind of capture of the Golden Snitch, as demonstrated by Mr. Harry Potter in a Hogwarts House match in Scotland in November 1991. Mr. Potter nearly swallowed the Snitch and was at that point credited with its capture. Mr. Brankovitch captured the Snitch before a foul was called, so he was credited with the capture."

Although Ireland wanted the foul to count, the US had the right to decline, which they did, ending the game with the score United States-150, Ireland-140. The USA had beaten Ireland two games to one in the final and had won the Quidditch World Cup for the first time in the history of the cup.

--

Author's Notes: Actually, the 1997 Quidditch World Cup, according to _Quidditch Through the Ages_, should be the 132nd edition of the competition, not the 423rd. This discrepancy between _Goblet of Fire_ and _Quidditch Through the Ages_ has not been explained as of yet, as far as I am aware. Further, the Quidditch World Cup should not have occurred in 1994, but would have taken place a year earlier during the events of _Prisoner of Azkaban_. Again, no explanation has been given for this discrepancy.

Also out of the pages of _Quidditch Through the Ages_ are the Fitchburg Finches, who are a rather dominant Quidditch team in the United States, winning the US Cup seven times in its history. I mention this because I happen to live in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, home of the Finches. The team used to play their home games in Coolidge Stadium in Coolidge Park, which is right down the road from my house. However, with muggles using the park more and more for their own sports, such as baseball, street hockey and soccer, the Finches decided to move away from Coolidge Stadium. They now play their home games in Coggshall Arena, hidden in the forests of Coggshall Park, and holds up to 20,000 people. They have a bitter rivalry with the Salem Sorcerers, who are based in Salem, Massachusetts.

Well, that's about all for now. Until next time, read, review, and enjoy!


	9. 8: The Next Gryffindor

Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to all the readers who have checked out my story in the past week. And a special thanks to all who submitted a review.

ProfessorChris: Thanks for the support and the kind words.

Well, last week's Monty Python reference was, of course, the English fans singing "Jerusalem" at the Quidditch World Cup Finals. This song, considered an unofficial national anthem of England, was used in several episodes of Monty Python's Flying Circus. This week's reference is a bit obscure, I have to admit.

Well, thanks to the new Reader Traffic thing, I can see where all of you are reading my story from. I have readers from the USA, Canada, the UK, Belgium (Goedendag!), Germany (Guten Tag!), Sweden (God Dag!), Australia, and even China (Ni Hao!). So good day to all of you around the world!

Well, enough of that. Time to continue the story.

**Chapter 8: The Next Gryffindor**

Henry Harper Gryffindor took a seat in a rather crowded car on the Hogwarts Express as the train took off on its way to Hogwarts on September 1, 1997. His father was also taking the express to the school, but he was near the front of the train with the prefects and the Head Boy and Girl. The car that Henry decided to stay in was filled with other students who were making the trip to Hogwarts for the very first time in their lives, just as he was. Henry found himself sitting next to a girl with dirty blonde hair and grayish-blue eyes who was looking around the car, seemingly confused. He decided to introduce himself to her.

"Hey, my name is Henry," he greeted as he extended his right hand to the girl.

The girl was startled by his greeting and looked at Henry for a moment. "Megan," she replied as she shook Henry's hand briefly.

"That's a nice name, I'm pleased to meet you," Henry said, "You come from a Muggle family, don't you?"

Megan had looked away from Henry, but when he said this looked back at him. "How did you know?" she asked.

"The way you're looking around," Henry explained, "It tells me that you've been told nothing about being a witch."

Megan nodded in agreement. "I'm probably going to flunk out of this school," she moaned.

"Oh, nonsense," Henry replied as he turned his body to face his new friend, "Why do you say that?"

"I don't have any idea what's going to happen to me," Megan explained, "I have no friends here, and I'm already homesick." It looked to Henry like she was about to cry.

_Only 11 and already she's a drama queen,_ Henry thought to himself. "Hey, if it's any comfort to you, I'm not quite sure what to expect either," he replied, trying to comfort her, "And you'll make friends soon enough here. In fact, I think you've already made one."

Megan laughed briefly at that. "Maybe," she admitted, "You seem like a nice person."

"My father always taught me that you should be kind to others," Henry explained, "Something he called karma, I'm not quite sure what that is."

"It's a religious belief that some Muggles hold," Megan elaborated, "Basically, it is the belief that all your actions have consequences that will, sooner or later, catch up with you."

Henry nodded in understanding. "I like that belief," he stated, "It makes sense and is fair."

"Yeah," Megan replied, then paused before asking, "Hey, what's a mudblood?"

Henry flinched upon hearing that term. "Oh, I'm sorry, did I say something I shouldn't have?" Megan asked with concern.

"Where did you hear that word?" Henry asked.

"Well, before I had boarded the train, I saw this little girl who half-shouted, 'I don't like mudbloods!'" Megan related to Henry, "And then this older boy, who I assumed was the girl's older brother, laughed and then said, 'Who doesn't?' I didn't understand what they were talking about."

Henry took a deep breath, wondering how to answer this question without upsetting his new friend. "Megan, that word is not a very nice word to use about anyone," he began, "It's a very offensive term used to refer to wizards or witches who have muggle parents. It's basically our version of paki or nigger."

At Henry's use of those particular words, it was Megan's turn to flinch. Then she thought about this implication for a moment. "Are you telling me there's racism in this world too?" she asked with a tone of despair in her voice.

"Unfortunately, yes," Henry replied sadly, "There are quite a few pure-blood wizards and witches who think that because they are pure-bloods, they are automatically better than everyone else, in the same way Muggle racists think they're better than everyone else simply because of their skin color."

"It's dead stupid," Megan agreed, although she was starting to let doubt seep into her mind about her place in this world.

"Megan, let me tell you something," Henry began forcefully, making sure he had Megan's full attention before he continued, "There's a reason why you're on this train. You're here because you accepted an invitation to learn about magic and your potential as a witch. It doesn't matter whether you're a Muggle-born, a half-blood, a pure-blood, or whatever. On this train, we are all wizards and witches. That's all that matters."

Megan nodded, thankful that she had a shoulder to lean on already. "Are there others like you at Hogwarts?" she asked.

"Oh yes, and you'll find that out for yourself soon enough anyway," Henry assured as he sat normally in his seat again.

However, at that very moment, the doors in the back of the car were opened very forcefully, as if whoever did it wanted to get attention.

"Right then, first-years," a grunting, deep voice from the open door commended, "We're here to show you where your place is."

"Yeah, and you'll probably want to leave the car if you're a mudblood," a deep, raspy voice added slowly.

"Shut it!" the first voice replied quickly.

If it wasn't for the use of the epithet, Henry would have found the two voices and their whole routine very humorous. Megan, who hadn't developed a hatred of that word yet, was giggling. Henry had a very good idea who the two voices belonged to.

"Megan, whatever happens," Henry whispered to his new friend, "Don't say anything and don't get out of your seat. I'm going to take care of these two blokes."

Megan nodded, wondering what Henry meant by that. _Is this some sort of hazing activity?_ she wondered as Henry stood up in the pathway in the middle of the car and looked toward the door. He saw two seventh-year boys slowly shuffling his way. Both of them were physically thick and looked like they were about as think mentally as they were physically. The guy on his left was the taller of the two and had brown hair in a bowl cut that made Henry perform some forceful blinking to make sure he saw what he thought he saw, while the one on the right had short, bristly hair and long arms that reminded Henry of a gorilla. _They look like a couple of thugs,_ he thought, _They have to be Crabbe and Goyle._

"Hey mates," Henry calmly greeted, extending his right hand to the two seventh-year students.

"Shut it, first-year!" Goyle grunted as he slapped away Henry's wrist.

Henry faked a gasp of surprise as he looked at his hand for a moment. "That is downright rude," he pointed out, "I demand an apology."

"We're not going to apologize to a first-year like you," Crabbe stated, "We're here to show you how things work at Hogwarts now."

"We've been looking through the cars and we haven't seen anyone who'll stop us," Goyle explained, "So I guess we'll do as we please."

"Shut up!" Crabbe snapped.

"Well then, I would suggest that you don't go forward through the train anymore, since the prefects are two cars up from here," Henry advised the two, "And for some reason, I don't think they'll back down from you two."

"Are you calling us weak?" Crabbe asked threateningly, flexing his muscles in an attempt to intimidate the younger student. Goyle followed suit.

_Okay, it's time to test how stupid these two really are,_ Henry thought. "Yeah, I am calling you weak," he replied calmly, "But you can make me bow in reverence to you."

"How?" Goyle demanded immediately.

"Go into the prefects' cars and intimidate everyone in there," Henry instructed, "Then come back in here with the Head Boy and Head Girl and I will bow to your will with them. That's all."

"Come on Crabbe," Goyle said as he walked forward. Crabbe hesitated at first, but followed his friend into the next car.

As Henry sat back down in his seat, all Megan could do was stare at the door that led toward the engine of the train as it opened and shut. Her jaw was dropped as far as it could go. "Those two don't really think they can intimidate all the prefects, do they?" she asked, still unable to think that what she had seen was possible.

"Well, we'll find out soon enough, won't we?" Henry replied casually.

"You aren't going to bow to them, right?" Megan inquired. To her, bowing to someone was one of the worst ways of demeaning herself down to something less than human.

"If they bring Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley here and make those two bow to them, I'll do the same," Henry said, "Another thing my father always told me was to stick to my word, no matter what. He always stressed loyalty and trust."

Megan nodded. "Your father sounds like he's a good man," she mused.

Henry thought about an answer to this for a moment. He was not completely ignorant of the activities of his father and uncle seven years ago, as he had heard stories about what his father had done in the past. "He tries to be, but he's done some things that could be considered shady," Henry elaborated.

"Shady dealings?" Megan asked, "Is your father a politician?"

Henry laughed immediately at that, as crooked politicians were not a purely Muggle problem either. "No, he's not a politician," Henry clarified, "But he is a rather important person in our world. In fact, my entire family is quite important." Henry hesitated to bring up his family name, as he wanted to win recognition in his own right. _Well, she is Muggle-born, so she most likely has no idea why my family is so important,_ Henry thought to himself, _Bloody hell, she's probably never even heard of Gryffindor before. And she'll find out my name soon enough, anyway._

"What is your last name?" Megan inquired, "I don't believe you told it to me."

"Gryffindor," Henry replied, "My name is Henry Gryffindor."

"Mine is Megan Blaire," Megan added, not having any reaction to Henry's last name.

Henry nodded. "That's a very nice name you have," he complimented.

"It's too bloody normal, if you ask me," Megan replied, "I'd like to have an exotic last name like yours."

_Perhaps someday . . . ,_ Henry began to think before immediately ending that line of thought, _No Henry, you can't think like that. At least, not yet._

Henry and Megan continued talking for the next minute or two when the door leading toward the front of the train opened again. Henry and Megan looked toward the door, along with practically everyone in the car, and saw that Crabbe and Goyle had returned. But this time, they were standing on either side of another wizard. This wizard was taller than either Crabbe or Goyle and was grabbing both young men by one of their ears. Crabbe was one the wizard's right and Goyle on his left. The wizard in the middle of the three was wearing robes of red and gold, contrasting with all the black robes that surrounded them. Megan also noticed a slight resemblance between this wizard and Henry.

"It's bad enough that you two want to haze the first-years," the wizard holding the two Slytherins by the ears began, "But to think that you want to impose your will on the prefects as well? You're lucky I can't take points away from your house for this, but I am giving both of you a detention. I'll have to ask Mr. Filch just what is available for you two to do. I'm sure he'll find something."

"Come on, let me go," Crabbe begged, "You're hurting me!"

"My father will make you pay for this!" Goyle threatened.

The wizard laughed at that notion. "Your father wouldn't dare to lay a finger on me, Goyle," he retorted as he continued walking toward the back of the train with the two seventh-years, "There is absolutely no room at Hogwarts for this sort of behavior." He was making an example of these two to everyone else.

The wizard in red and gold approached the back door of the car, which slid open magically for him. He then tossed Crabbe and Goyle into the next car. The students in both that car and Henry's car burst out in laughter at the scene.

"Let this be a lesson for you all," the wizard declared, "This kind of behavior will not be tolerated at Hogwarts. Every student on this train deserves respect, whether that student is a seventh-year, a first-year, or someone in between the two."

The wizard then began to walk back toward the front of the train when something on his right caught his attention. Looking down, he found Henry looking back at him. "Henry, I should have known you had something to do with all this," the wizard noted with mild amusement.

Henry shrugged and kept an innocent look on his face. "I just suggested it to them, Dad," Henry told his father, "I didn't make them do anything."

Geoffrey Gryffindor smiled at his son. _Like father, like son, I suppose,_ Geoff thought, _I would have done the same thing in Henry's place._

"Henry, don't take advantage of the weak-minded for your entertainment," Geoff ordered his son, just loud enough for everyone else in the car to hear.

"Yes father," Henry replied as Geoff walked through the door at the front of the car, shutting the door behind him.

"That's your father?" Megan asked Henry after Geoff had left the car.

"Yeah, that's him," Henry confirmed, "His name is Geoffrey Gryffindor."

"What is he doing on the train?" she inquired.

"You'll find out soon enough," Henry replied as half of the first-years in that car began to gather around his seat. Most of those who stayed away from him did so either because they didn't want to be too close to a Gryffindor at this time or because they hated his family name. Most of the latter group would end up being sorted into Slytherin.

--

Author's Notes: This chapter is adding new players to the story. Sure, I could just focus on Harry's trials, but I want to show that there's a lot more involved in this struggle than just him.

By the way, I apologize for offending anyone with certain words I used in this chapter. I do not mean to offend anyone by using them. I just needed a way to explain how offensive the term "mudblood" is.

Well, that's about all for this week. Until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	10. 9: Separation

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all my readers out there from the USA, Canada, India, the UK, Singapore, Brazil, Sweden, France, Germany, Malaysia, Norway, Denmark, Poland, Bangladesh, the Netherlands, Belgium, Greece, Australia, Puerto Rico, Estonia, the Philippines, New Zealand, Trinidad & Tobago, Turkey, Kuwait, the Dominican Republic, Chile, Guatemala, Israel, Argentina, Italy, Mexico, Japan, Finland and South Africa for reading my story in the past week. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Oh, Megan will definitely figure into this. I may have made her a bit... strange in later chapters, but I needed to stretch the bounds of what can realistically be expected of people her age at certain points. Of course, blood status does not matter and I do have more humiliation in store for Crabbe and Goyle. But that won't come for a while. Thanks for the support.

Okay, last week's Monty Python reference was the exchange Megan told Henry about that occurred on Platform Nine and Three-Quarters, where the girl screams that she doesn't like mudbloods and the older boy agrees with her. This is a reference to episode 20 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, from a sketch called "Take Your Pick." In the sketch, a "pepperpot," played by Terry Jones, is on a game show hosted by John Cleese. At one point, Jones shouts, "I don't like darkies!" (My apologies if that offends anyone) Cleese's character laughs it off and replies, "Who doesn't?" Obscure, yes, I know it is.

This week's reference, however, is not obscure. It will stick out like a sore thumb to those who have seen the sketch it comes from.

Also, I've noticed that my first story on Fan Fiction, The Legend of Zelda: Land of My Dreams, has seen a boost in hits recently. I don't know why, but I would encourage you all to read it if you have the time. Its sequel will begin (hopefully) sometime next summer.

Oh, and before we continue, two things. Congrats to everyone for boosting us to over 3,500 hits in the past week. You guys are fantastic. And I turned 21 years old in the past week, so I'm fantastic. And now that everyone is fantastic, lets get on with the show.

**Chapter 9: Separation**

"You want me to do it?" Geoffrey Gryffindor asked Headmistress McGonagall.

"It's not too hard, really," Minerva assured, handing Geoff a list of names and the old black Sorting Hat, "You just read through the names and hang on to the hat."

"No, I'm sure I can do it well enough," Geoff corrected, "It's just that I don't feel I am worthy of this kind of an honor. This is only my first year teaching here. Bloody hell, Hagrid has more right to do this than I do."

"If I had Hagrid do this, half of the students wouldn't know that their name had been called," Minerva pointed out, "Plus, it is your hat."

Geoff thought about that for a moment, then decided to place the Sorting Hat on his head for the first time in 23 years.

"GRYFFINDOR!" the hat shouted out of the tear near the brim, "Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor, it has been 23 years since you last wore me!"

Geoff laughed at that. "You wouldn't put me in another house now?" he asked.

A moment passed before the hat replied, "Well, you have changed much, it seems, but your heart would still be with Gryffindor."

Geoff smiled. He then looked at McGonagall. "Alright, I'll do it," he declared as he looked over the list for any names that might give him pause for pronunciation. He found one about a quarter of the way down the list, just past that of his own son. "Mohammad Hazan?" he said uncertainly, "Is that right?"

Minerva looked at the name in question on the list and nodded after a moment of contemplation. "Oh yes, I remember that name," she recalled, "Mohammad Hazan is a Muggle-born whose parents immigrated to Britain from Pakistan before his birth."

That comment made Geoff worried already about Mohammad. "Pakistan?" he asked, "How receptive of the news were his parents?"

That question struck McGonagall as odd. "I don't know, I've never seen either Mohammad or his parents myself," she admitted, "But I do know he boarded the Hogwarts Express, so his parents at least accept the fact that he's a wizard."

Geoffrey was still worried. _If his parents came from India, I wouldn't be worrying so much,_ he thought, _Maybe I'm just worrying about nothing, but Muggles from that part of the world still look upon us as agents of hell._ But Geoff put that thought out of mind as an unfair generalization.

Geoff decided to postpone further thought on this matter and looked at the list again. There were no other names that gave him trouble. "Alright then," he said, "I think I'm ready for this."

"Good," Minerva replied as she began walking out of the office of the Headmistress of Hogwarts, "We have a Sorting Ceremony to attend to."

Geoff nodded as he followed Headmistress McGonagall, still wearing the Sorting Hat on his head.

"Oh, Geoffrey," McGonagall remembered after they left the room, "There is something else we need to talk about after the feast is over. Come to this office again once all the students are settled in for the night."

"Yes Minerva," Geoff replied as they walked down toward the Great Hall, with McGonagall continuing toward the hall while Geoffrey broke away and walked down a series of hallways until he reached a set of wooden double-doors that opened to the outside air on the castle's south. He passed through the doors and shut them behind him before he looked out on what he could see. What he saw was a clouded sky that hinted at rain, but Geoff knew that these clouds wouldn't bring rain right now. He also had a perfect view of the lake and saw numerous boats crossing it. Most of the boats he saw were well past halfway across, but Geoff was too far away to make out any of the people in them except for Hagrid's massive form in the leading boat.

Geoff waited patiently while the last of the stragglers finally completed the task. He took the time to close his eyes and remember the time he had crossed this lake like these new students just had. A smile crossed his face as he opened his eyes again, hearing Hagrid's heavy footfalls approaching him.

"Professor, the first-years," Hagrid announced in his unmistakable deep voice and thick accent.

Geoff nodded. "Thank you, Hagrid," he thanked, "I'll take it from here."

Hagrid nodded as he walked away from the group. As he did so, Geoff took a quick look at the new Hogwarts students. He soon found his own son embedded in the middle of the pack, standing next to the same blonde-haired girl that he sat next to on the train. But after that, the one student that caught his attention was, by first-year student standards, a large boy, who stood five-and-a-half feet tall. His posture also struck Geoffrey as a bit odd. He was standing up straight and only looked forward. It was the stance of one who was not afraid of what lay ahead at all . . . or one who was trying to appear that way. Geoff guessed the latter was true.

Geoff then saw this student's face, sitting atop a rather broad chest for an eleven-year-old. His skin was very tan, but not dark enough to be called Black. If he didn't know better, Geoff would have thought that he was of Indian descent. _So this is Mohammad Hazan,_ Geoff thought, _He is quite a unique looking boy, having that build at only 11. He'll be very popular among the girls in a few years._

"First-year students, it is my honor to welcome you to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Geoff declared with an authoritative voice, "Follow me." He then turned around and opened the double doors as wide as they would open and walked back inside the school, the first-years following him.

--

"I bet she does," Seamus Finnigan remarked to Ron Weasley at the Gryffindor table in the Great Hall, "I bet she does. I bet she does. Know what I mean? Nudge nudge."

"I'm sorry, I don't quite follow you," Ron replied with confusion, although he had a vague impression that this conversation was about his and Hermione's relationship.

Before this line of questioning could continue, however, Professor Gryffindor shot a glare toward the two boys, silencing them immediately. The first-year students stood in a single file in front of Geoff, with the boy he thought was Mohammad standing at the front of the line. He pulled his wand out from under his red and gold colored robes and used it to conjure a wooden stool with four legs next to him. He then took the hat off of his head and placed it upon the stool. Soon, it sang its new song about the Hogwarts founders and also gave a warning of grave danger and reminded the students to work together instead of fighting each other.

_As if anyone in Slytherin is really listening to those words,_ Ron thought gloomily as the Sorting Hat fell silent. The students on most of the tables gave great applause, but the Slytherin table was not as enthusiastic. Also, there was much whispering on all the tables which died down shortly. After silence had engulfed the Great Hall, Gryffindor retrieved the list out of his robes.

"First-year students," he began to instruct, "When I call your name, please come up to this stool and sit on it. I will then place the Sorting Hat on your head. Once the Sorting Hat decides which house to place you into, you will sit with the rest of your house at their table. I won't bother showing you which table belongs to which house, as you'll figure that out pretty quickly after your house is declared. Just follow your ears."

And with that, Geoff began reading names off the list.

--

It didn't take very long for Geoff to reach Megan's name.

"Blaire, Megan," he called loudly and clearly.

Megan hesitated, as she was really nervous and slightly scared at this point.

"Don't worry Megan, the hat won't bite," she heard Henry, who was standing right behind her in line, whispered, "It'll know what house to put you into."

Megan gathered all the courage she could muster, left her place in line and walked up to the stool. She quickly sat down as she felt hundreds of eyes upon her. _Lets just get this over with,_ she thought desperately as Geoff set the Sorting Hat upon her head.

"Hmm, how interesting," the hat commented to Megan alone after a moment, "The choice is so clear to me, but something is holding me back from declaring it. Already you have great amounts of cunning."

_I do not!_ Megan thought in reply to this charge.

"Oh, it is nothing to be worried or ashamed about," the hat assured, "Cunning is not a bad thing, you know. And you seek power and control over situations, which is why you are so unsure of yourself now."

_Just put me where you think I belong,_ Megan wished, starting to worry about how an inanimate object could read her like an open book, _Everyone is staring at me._

"If that is what you want, then you leave me no choice," the Sorting Hat remarked.

"SLYTHERIN!" the hat shouted aloud.

The Slytherin table shouted out a cheer and gave applause as Gryffindor removed the hat from her head. She stood up and looked at where the applause was coming from. Walking toward the Slytherin table, her blood suddenly ran cold. She saw Crabbe and Goyle at that table.

_Oh bloody hell, this can't be right,_ she thought, _I can't be in the same house as those two, can I?_ However, at this point, she realized that she didn't have a choice.

_I guess this means Megan and I won't be in Gryffindor together,_ Henry thought, disappointed by this turn of events, _But if the Sorting Hat says she belongs in Slytherin, then she belongs in Slytherin. And we can still be friends._

The names continued to be read off the list.

--

"Gryffindor, Henry," Professor Gryffindor read from the list.

Without hesitation, Henry walked to the stool and sat down. His father placed the Sorting Hat on his head, expecting the selection to be quick.

"Well, I should say Gryffindor," the Sorting Hat said to Henry, "But something holds me back."

_What is that?_ Henry asked the hat, though he already knew the answer.

"Your feelings for that Slytherin girl, of course," the hat replied, "You are worried about her?"

_A little, yeah,_ Henry admitted, _But if she was supposed to become a Slytherin, then that's the way it has to be._

"And you know what house you belong to," the hat said.

_Well, my uncle . . . _, Henry began to think.

"Honestly, I think that may have been a mistake on my part," the hat admitted, "But there's no mistake here."

"GRYFFINDOR!" the Sorting Hat shouted after a wait of about ten seconds. It was a wait that caught his father by surprise. He lifted the hat off his son's head and watched as he walked toward the table of cheering students.

_I'm proud of you, son,_ Geoff thought to himself as a tear welled in his left eye. Blinking a few times to clear his view, Geoff turned back to his list and looked at the next name.

"Hazan, Mohammad," he announced.

The large boy at the front of the line of first-years walked forward and sat on the stool, which creaked slightly under his weight.

_Oh great, now Crabbe and Goyle will have a new oaf to train,_ Ron thought.

And so it was to Ron's great surprise that, almost immediately after the hat was placed on Mohammad's head, the Sorting Hat declared, "GRYFFINDOR!"

The entire table broke out in cheering and applause again as Gryffindor took the hat off Hazan's head and Mohammad walked over to the Gryffindor table with a huge smile on his face as he took his place.

_Then again, he can be our oaf, I suppose,_ Ron thought, rather embarrassed at his prior thoughts of Mohammad, _Hermione would slap me if she knew what I had thought before._

As Mohammad took his seat, Professor Gryffindor went through the rest of the list. Once all the students were sorted, Geoffrey took out his wand and made the stool disappear. Taking the hat and putting it on his head again, he walked down the center of the Great Hall and exited the hall.

Headmistress McGonagall then stood up from her place with the other professors. "To all those who have arrived here at Hogwarts for the first time, welcome. And to all those who have been here before, welcome back," she greeted, "And now, eat, drink, and be merry."

With that, she waved her wand, signaling the start of the start-of-term feast. A multitude of foods were magically whisked into the Great Hall as all students and faculty present began eating voraciously.

During the feast, Henry was doing what seemed to be coming naturally for him, and that was making new friends. Currently, he was talking to Mohammad while both were dividing a turkey between themselves and two first-year girls in Gryffindor.

"So, it's Muhammad, right?" Henry inquired as he started to eat one of the turkey's drumsticks.

"Mohammad," the larger boy corrected in a mixture of a normal British accent and an Arabian one as he was taking the lion's share of the turkey, "And your name is Henry, I believe?"

"Yes, that would be right," Henry replied, "Has anyone ever mentioned you're really big for your age?"

Mohammad had a very hearty laugh. "All the time," he answered, "All the bloody time. My father once said that he should have given me Ali for a middle name, since I'm built so much like a boxer."

"Mohammad Ali Hazan," Henry remarked, regarding the name for a moment, "I like it. I think that should be your nickname."

"Alright, you can call me that," Mohammad said.

"Where are you from?" Henry asked as he drank some pumpkin juice.

"I live in London," Mohammad replied as he dug into some vegetables, "In Wimbledon, to be more precise."

"Um, no, I meant what country you come from," Henry corrected, "I would say your country of origin is India."

"Close, Pakistan," Mohammad informed, "My parents came to Britain with their families shortly before they were married. Mother said there were more opportunities for a new family in this part of the world, and I'm tempted to say they're right for both Muggles and wizards."

"You're a Muggle-born?" Henry inquired.

"Yes," Mohammad replied and was about to say something else when he hesitated for a moment before continuing, "My father is a doctor, and a very good one at that. My mother doesn't need to work, so she stays at home and takes care of my younger sisters."

"Will either of them be coming to Hogwarts in the future?" Henry inquired.

Mohammad shook his head as he ate some more turkey. "I don't think so," he denied, "At least the older of the two won't be. Not sure about the younger one, though."

It was at this time that McGonagall stood up again and addressed the students for the usual start-of-term announcements. All talking and feasting ceased when the students saw Professor McGonagall stand up.

"I suppose now is the time for announcements," she began, "I hope you are all paying attention. As usual, the Forbidden Forest is out of bounds for all students. The caretaker, Mr. Filch, has reminded me to tell you that the use of magic in the corridors between classes is not permitted. Also, check the list attached to his office door for items he has forbidden to be in the school at any time. This includes a blanket-ban on all items purchased at Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes." At this, some scattered whispering went on.

McGonagall continued with her announcements, "We have a few new changes in faculty positions. Because of the death of Headmaster Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore, I am now acting Headmistress of Hogwarts. I will also continue to serve as the Transfiguration teacher. To fill yet another vacancy at the Defense Against the Dark Arts teaching position, we have hired Professor Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor, who I have assigned to be the acting Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts. And for a final announcement about teaching positions, Professor Grubbly-Plank has agreed to become co-teacher for Care of Magical Creatures, with Professor Hagrid being the other co-professor of that subject. It is our hope that this will increase the number of students taking that subject, which has dipped alarmingly low in recent years.

"Quidditch trials will take place over the course of the next month-and-a-half. Those interested in trying out for their House's team will wish to speak with their Head of Houses about trying out. As a reminder," she continued as she began gesturing toward the professors she was listing, "The Heads of Houses are Professor Slughorn for Slytherin, Professor Sprout for Hufflepuff, Professor Flitwick for Ravenclaw, and Professor Gryffindor for Gryffindor." McGonagall paused to make sure she had said that right. Indeed, many of the students were whispering and giggling at that last comment.

The comments continued for a little while longer, then McGonagall looked around her and asked, "Do any of the professors have anything they wish to say?"

Geoffrey stood up immediately. "If I may, Headmistress?" he inquired.

"Of course, Professor Gryffindor," McGonagall affirmed as she stepped to her left and Geoff came to the center of the faculty table. He looked across the room for a long moment, making sure he had everyone's attention.

"You heard the Sorting Hat talk to you all about the need to stand together, despite our differences," Geoff began, "I hope you all take that advice to heart. By dividing you into four houses, we want to build a friendly competition between you, driving all to be better than they ever thought they could. This end can only be achieved through a system of competitions, be it on the Quidditch pitch, the classroom, or once you enter the workforce. Our lives are driven by the need to compete and better ourselves and others.

"However, in recent years, the system seems to have gone awry. The competition has become too serious and now many students have the terrible 'us against them' mentality. There is also talk of who is even worthy to attend Hogwarts in the first place. To this, I answer that everyone here in this Great Hall now deserves to be here. You all have earned a place here at Hogwarts because you are all bright wizards and witches who will one day become the leaders of this country and world.

"As for the 'us against them' mentality, it must be done away with. Yes, you are all in competition with each other, but this competition is one of bettering yourselves, not of showing your dominance. That is the one thing I feel that so many of us have forgotten. It seems to me that everything that goes wrong in this school now is blamed on the actions of one of the houses. This is not a productive way to solve a problem. We must work together and see that we aren't really so different. And if and when outside forces threaten our peace and security, we must resist them with one united front, rather than four divided ones. For as has been said many times before, united we stand, divided we fall. Thank you."

Much whispering went on in the Great Hall as Geoff sat down in his seat again. McGonagall took her place again where Geoff had just been standing.

"Well, this Sorting Feast is finished. Prefects, show the first years the way to their dormitories. I would like to speak with the Head Boy and Head Girl in my office," she finished.

"What!?" Mohammad exclaimed as the remaining food was whisked away, "But I'm still hungry!"

"You'll be able to eat at breakfast tomorrow morning," Henry assured as the first years were led out of the Great Hall. During this commotion, Megan found her way to Henry again.

"Henry, I'm afraid of this," she admitted, "I heard a lot of bad talk during the feast among them. They talked about Death Eaters and You-Know-Who and all sorts of things that just didn't sound good to me. What's wrong with the people in Slytherin?"

Henry put his hand on Megan's shoulder as they walked forward. "Megan, now is not a good time to explain. Perhaps we can talk in the library soon about things," he suggested, "Right now we have to go to our rooms."

"I'm just not sure what I should do right now," Megan claimed, "Oh, why couldn't I have gotten into Gryffindor with you?"

"Megan, whatever you do, don't let anyone in Slytherin know that you're a Muggle-born," Henry recommended, "I told you that doesn't matter, but to some Slytherins, it means everything. Try to avoid attention as much as possible."

Megan nodded. "You know a lot more about these things than I do, Henry," she said, "I'll try to lay low as much as I can."

"Tomorrow we'll see what classes we have together," Henry stated, "So I'll see you at breakfast."

The two young students then parted ways. Henry's father smiled as he watched his son comfort his friend. It reminded Geoff of himself when he was still at Hogwarts. _I hope that Henry never has to confront all the things that I did,_ he thought as Henry went away from his sight.

--

Meanwhile, Ginny Weasley was having a much tougher time dealing with her separation from Harry Potter. She was so distracted that she found herself standing outside the Gryffindor common room with the first year students and forgot the password to get past the Fat Lady's portrait.

"Are you sure you're okay, Ms. Weasley?" the Fat Lady asked, stunning half of those first years standing behind Ginny, "Maybe you ought to ask your brother for some help."

"No, no, I'll get this," Ginny replied, "Just let me think for a moment."

"Paintings can talk here?" Mohammad asked Henry.

"And they move around from portrait to portrait," Henry added, "They socialize with each other, too. Don't worry. You'll get used to it."

"If you say so," Mohammad replied in a way that said he didn't believe Henry on that one, "Hey, what was that 'Quidditch' Headmistress McGonagall was talking about?"

"Quidditch is the most popular action sport in our world," Henry answered, "It's seven-on-seven, with all participants on flying brooms. There are four positions: you have three Chasers, two Beaters, one Keeper, and one Seeker. You also have four balls in play: two Bludgers, one Quaffle, and one Golden Snitch. The Chasers score points by throwing the Quaffle through one of three of their opponent's hoops, which are guarded by the Keeper. The Beaters use their bats to knock the Bludgers at the members of the other team, as a Bludger will seek out the nearest human and try to hit them. And then the Seekers try to find and catch the Golden Snitch, which is worth 15 goals and ends the game immediately."

Mohammad pondered all this information for a moment, then said, "I'd probably make a really good Beater."

Henry looked at Mohammad's arms and nodded. "Yeah, but first years generally don't get starting spots on the House teams. Also, the Gryffindor team already has two Beaters, I think. Hang on a tic." Henry then walked over to Ginny Weasley. "Ginerva, you're on the House Quidditch team, right?" he asked the struggling prefect.

Ginny looked down at Henry. "Yes, I am," she answered, then suddenly hit herself in the forehead with her right palm, "Oh, now I remember, the password is Golden Snitch!"

"Correct!" the Fat Lady cried as her portrait swung open, allowing the Gryffindor students access to their dormitory at last.

"Well, I have a friend here who is interested in trying out for the team," Henry explained as he, Ginny, and Mohammad walked into the common room.

Ginny took a quick look at Mohammad and frowned. "I'm sorry, but we already have a Keeper for the team," she sadly informed the large first year boy, "But that position will be open next year." _If there is a next year,_ she added to herself.

"Well, what positions are open this year?" Henry inquired, "I think I'll try to be on the reserves myself."

"Well, I'm the Seeker, my brother Ron is the Keeper, we got Ritchie Coote and Jimmy Peakes as Beaters, and two of our Chasers are Dean Thomas and Demelza Robins. And Euan Abercrombie is probably going to be our third Chaser, but that's not set in stone yet," Ginny explained, "So you could try out for that open Chaser position."

_Of course, we shouldn't have any vacancies on the roster,_ Ginny thought, _Harry should be the Seeker. Harry should be here with me._

"Henry, how big is that Quaffle you told me about?" Mohammad asked his friend.

"It's a leather ball about 12 inches in diameter," Henry explained, "It would be about the same size as a football, if you're familiar with that."

"I'm more familiar with rugby, but I can hold one of those with one hand, I think," Mohammad replied as Ginny began walking toward her room. Her head was filled with thoughts of Harry, mostly worrying about his well-being. These thoughts would become more pronounced as the year continued.

--

It had been a couple of hours since the feast had ended when Professor Gryffindor walked through the seventh floor corridor toward the Headmistress's Office again. He ran into Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley on his way there, as they were returning from her office with some more instructions. Geoff walked up to the stone gargoyle and gave the password (still Cosmic Creepers), making the gargoyle jump aside. He then walked up the steps of the spiral staircase, even though they were taking him up to the office themselves. He knocked at the door when he got to it.

"Come in Geoffrey," McGonagall called from inside her office.

Geoff opened the door and walked into the room, closing the door behind him. "You wanted to talk to me about something?" he inquired.

Minerva nodded and sighed before she began. "I should have gotten a replacement for Transfiguration," she explained, "I didn't realize how much work these two jobs together would require."

"Well, I can't teach Transfiguration," Geoff pointed out, "It's not my strong spot at all, as you may or may not remember. And even if I could teach it, teaching two different sets of classes is right out for me."

"I'm not asking you to teach Transfiguration," Minerva interrupted, "But I would appreciate it greatly if you would help me with my Headmistress duties. Effectively, we would be co-Headmasters of Hogwarts, but my authority would supercede yours."

Geoffrey Gryffindor thought about this proposal for a minute. "I don't even understand why you made me Deputy Headmaster, Minerva," Geoff said abruptly.

"Oh Geoffrey, drop the humble act now, please," Minerva half-begged, "You know that to become Headmaster of Hogwarts is your dream and has been since you were a student here."

"So you're trying to groom the next Headmaster, to slowly slide him into his future post," Geoff commented, "When every other professor here has more right to be the next Headmaster of the school."

"Yes, but none of them have the desire to become Headmaster," Minerva assured, "Trust me, I talked to all of them about this, and they would gladly allow this."

Geoff waited another moment before speaking again. "If that is the case, then I gladly accept your proposal," Geoffrey stated as he extended his right hand toward Minerva, who shook it in agreement. "Is that all?" he then asked.

"One last thing," McGonagall replied, "Tell the Gryffindors interested that tryouts for the House Quidditch team will be on September 28 at 10:00 in the morning. I'm expecting to be able to hand the cup to you at the end of the year."

Geoff smiled at that comment. "Minerva, the Gryffindor team is easily the most talented team the school has to offer, even without Potter at Seeker," he assured, "On parchment, Gryffindor will run away with the cup. And I think Mohammad could be a star Keeper here if he's any good on a broom."

"What about your son?" McGonagall inquired.

"An average Chaser, maybe even Seeker, but nothing more," he replied truthfully, "I don't think you should get your hopes up about him. Flying lessons are on September 13, correct?"

"The afternoon session with the Slytherins, yes," McGonagall confirmed, "And that is all, unless you have lost your schedule of classes or have anything else you wish to speak with me about."

"Neither," Geoff replied as he turned and left the office. He had to get the seventh years ready for an encounter with death itself.

--

Meanwhile, at Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Harry Potter was also suffering from his separation from Ginny, but he was taking it in better stride. He and Gary had worked together in getting the house fit for habitation again, although Gary at one point remarked that he would need to get help from a couple of friends.

"Whatever you need," Harry replied, "As long as they're trustworthy."

"Don't worry, Geoffrey was expecting help here soon anyway," Gary stated.

Gary was still up and about, but Harry was too tired to keep working on the house at this point. He decided to call it a night and went upstairs to the cleanest bedroom in the house, which he had claimed as his. After pondering for a few moments, Harry decided against using the Daydream Charm now and simply let his mind wander wherever it wanted to go. For some reason, Voldemort again left him alone for another night.

Downstairs, Gary was setting up his bedroom when he heard a knock at the front door. "That must be them," he remarked as he walked to the front door and looked out through the peephole in the door. "Password?" he inquired.

Gary heard a sigh before the man outside replied, "Nudge nudge," in a rather annoyed way. Satisfied, Gary opened the door.

Two people entered the building of Number 12, Grimmauld Place. The first was a middle-aged wizard with greasy black hair that went down to his shoulders. He had cold, black eyes that gazed out of his very pale and sallow face. His nose was also rather long and hooked slightly.

The second person was also a wizard, obviously much younger than the first one. His face was pale, though not as pale as the other wizard's face. His eyes were cold as well, but were grayish-blue. And his hair was almost a white shade of blonde. His face was also pointed and had the sharp features that were indicative of extensive interbreeding of most of the remaining pure-blood families.

"Ah, Geoff said you'd be arriving with help, Severus," Gary commented as he shut the door behind the two, "You sure Mr. Malfoy here can be trusted?"

"He can't exactly go back to the Dark Lord, now can he?" Severus Snape asked hypothetically about the young wizard standing next to him, "I only hope that Draco and Potter don't rip each other to shreds on sight."

--

Author's Notes: How's that for a shock ending?

The whole thing about Mohammad's country of origin was part of a storyline element that I decided to remove after writing this chapter, involving a negative view of witchcraft by Muslims. The overtones of it are still there, but I really couldn't make it fit in and so only these veiled hints remain.

Well, that's it for now, Until next time, read, review, and enjoy!


	11. 10: A Lesson with Death

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all my readers out there in the past week. And a big thanks to all my reviewers. Please, if you want to comment on my story, I'm more thanhappy to consider your suggestions.

ProfessorChris: Well, you'll have to wait and see what happens on those fronts. Thanks for your continued support.

Also, I'd like to welcome my readers from Switzerland, Iran, Taiwan (or Chinese Taepei, if you must call it that), Spain and the Czech Republic, as well as those already mentioned last week.

Alright, last week's Monty Python reference was one that is more recognizable than past ones. It was when Seamus was making those remarks to Ron before the Sorting Ceremony began. It is part of the famous "Nudge Nudge" sketch from episode three of Monty Python's Flying Circus between Eric Idle and Terry Jones. Need I say more?

Big ups to all you readers out there. Over 4,000 hits! You guys are awesome!

On a more serious note, my prayers are with the peoples of Georgia and Russia. I hope that their conflict will end and that a peaceful resolution will come from this recent outbreak of fighting soon.

And now, on with the show.

**Chapter 10: A Lesson With Death**

It was shortly before 9:00 A.M. on September 2 when the seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts students walked into the first floor classroom which was about to see its seventh different professor in as many years. And already, Ron Weasley was having problems with a spell.

"_Romanus eunt domus,_" Ron said as he waved his wand, but nothing happened.

"Ron, what are you doing?" Hermione asked from behind him as she sat down to his right.

"I was told about this spell that could make you pass N.E.W.T.s automatically," Ron replied, making Hermione Granger give him an extremely dirty look, "But I don't think it's working, cause I don't feel any smarter." He waved his wand again. "_Romanus eunt domus,_" he said again.

Hermione scratched her head. "First of all, the grammar of the spell is messed up," she pointed out, "If that spell is saying what I think it's trying to say, it should be, _Romani ite domum._"

"Oh, thanks," Ron said as Hermione scowled at him again as he waved his wand, "_Romani ite domum._"

Ron waited a moment. "Still nothing," he reported.

"That's because it's a fake spell, Mr. Weasley," Ron heard Professor Gryffindor explain from behind him, "The only way to improve your performance on your tests is to study for them. And, of course, to pay attention in class."

"Yes Professor," Ron replied quietly as the bell for the first class of the year rang. Geoffrey Gryffindor, now wearing black robes, went to the front of the class to begin his lesson.

"Students, welcome back to Hogwarts," he began, "I am Professor Geoffrey Gryffindor and I will be teaching you Defense Against the Dark Arts this year. I'm sure that you know the whole drill by now, so I'll spare you some long motivational speech and get right down to business. Now, I have heard from certain sources that you were introduced to the Unforgivable Curses in your fourth year here. Can anyone tell me what they are?"

Hermione's hand immediately shot into the air. Ron knew what the curses were, but figured he might as well let Hermione have the fun.

Gryffindor smiled at Hermione's enthusiasm. "I admire your enthusiasm, Miss Granger," he remarked, "But your reputation precedes you. I know you know the answers, so how about you give the other students a chance to answer the questions unless they really don't know the answers."

Slightly dejected, Hermione lowered her hand. Meanwhile, Ron raised his.

"Yes, Mr. Weasley," Geoff called.

"The three Unforgivable Curses are the Imperius Curse, the Cruciatus Curse, and the Killing Curse," Ron answered.

"That is correct," Gryffindor affirmed, his mood suddenly becoming less bright, "And today, I will be teaching you how to cast one, and only one, of them."

Immediately, whispers began to fill the room. Most of the whispers were those of great concern. However, a small amount came from the Slytherin students in attendance, and their whispers were of delight.

_So, some think this means I'm going to allow the use of Unforgivable Curses in this school?_ Geoffrey thought to himself, _What kind of school do they think this is?_

"But Professor," Seamus Finnigan called from his seat, "To use any of the Unforgivable Curses on another human being means a life sentence in Azkaban."

Geoffrey smiled at Seamus. "You are correct for the most part, Mr. Finnigan," he responded, "However, there is one exception to this policy. Does anyone know what that exception is?"

At first, no one raised their hand to reply. Most of the Gryffindor students had thought that the use of any of the Unforgivable Curses in any circumstance was unacceptable and none of them even wanted to cast one. This was shared by the Hufflepuffs and the Ravenclaws in the class for the most part, while the Slytherins still seemed to be too delighted to care about answering.

"Perhaps we need Miss Granger's help," Geoff remarked, "You can raise your hand now."

Hermione slowly raised her left hand. Geoff nodded to her.

"The use of the Killing Curse is acceptable in either self-defense or the defense of another when there are no other options," Hermione answered.

"Five points to Gryffindor. That is exactly correct, word for word from Ministry regulations," Gryffindor commented, "Now, under normal circumstances, I would never teach you how to cast the Killing Curse. However, I think you'll all agree that these are the most dire of times. Therefore, I have been given clearance to teach all of you the Killing Curse."

At this moment, Gryffindor scanned the room slowly with his eyes, making sure he had everyone's undivided attention before he continued. He wanted to make sure that if anyone screwed up, he wouldn't be blamed for it. "However, before we begin," he continued once he saw that all the Slytherins had taken notice of him, "I will lay down the law with you about this. This is your only warning. If you are caught fooling around with this spell at all, you will leave Hogwarts immediately and you will never be allowed to return. This spell may only be used in self-defense or the defense of another. Do I make myself clear?"

Most of the students in the room nodded quickly, while the Slytherins lagged behind a little bit as their great day was suddenly ruined. They didn't need a second time to understand, but Ron raised his hand. "Yes Mr. Weasley?" Geoff asked.

"Professor Gryffindor, do you intend to teach this spell to everyone in the class?" Ron inquired, his eyes glancing momentarily at Pansy Parkinson and the other Slytherins in the class.

"Yes, I do," Geoff replied immediately, "If you have a problem with that, please approach me with it after class, Mr. Weasley."

"Yes Professor," Ron said, though he was obviously worried now.

"Now, can anyone tell me the words use to cast the Killing Curse?" Geoff inquired.

Hermione's hand went up again, as did Parkinson's. "Yes, Miss Parkinson?" Geoff called.

"Avada Kedavra," Parkinson answered, with a tone of delight in her voice. She had never cast this curse, but was very eager to add it to her bag of tricks.

"Correct," Geoff affirmed, "But simply waving your wand and saying those words isn't going to do you anything. To cast this spell, your mind needs to be totally focused on your target. In order to cast the spell, you need to feel the words reverberate inside your mind. It's a hard sensation to describe in words, but you'll know it when you feel it. And it doesn't hurt if you feel some amount of hatred toward your target, but that's not necessary."

At this point, Gryffindor conjured up a wooden dummy that represented a human with its right arm extended and a short stick of wood coming out from the dummy's hand.

"And sometimes it helps if you feel that you are under attack," Gryffindor added, "Now, each one of you will attempt to use the Killing Curse on this dummy."

--

The period was almost over, and so far, everyone who tried to cast the spell had failed to do so. Many had come close, and Geoff saw that everyone in the room had the ability to cast it, but that it would take some more time and training. But there was one student left.

"Hermione Granger, show your fellow students how it's done," Geoff called.

Slowly and reluctantly, Hermione stood up and walked up to where the others had stood before her. She pulled out her wand and let it rest by her side as she cleared her mind of all thoughts that could distract her from her spell casting. She looked at her target and brought up her wand. "_Avada Kedavra,_" she declared. She felt the words echo inside her head.

A green light sparked from the tip of her wand, but it did not go anywhere and simply dissipated almost as soon as it appeared. It was as if the spell itself had no direction and could not travel anywhere. Geoffrey seemed almost ecstatic at this development.

"You have it!" he cried, "Now focus, Granger! Focus on your target!"

Hermione repeated the process from before, but after clearing her mind she opened her eyes and focused her mind completely on the dummy before her. Suddenly, the shape of the dummy changed before her. It was an older female who now stood there. She had long black hair and harbored cold, dark eyes in her sockets, hardened by a life of murder and imprisonment. Hermione saw Bellatrix Lestrange pointing a wand right at her. And she was laughing at Hermione. It was a mocking laugh, the laugh of one who is convinced that their victim is merely a rat in a cage. It was more than she could bear, as she felt the rage well up within her. "_Avada Kedavra,_" she declared again, waving her wand at the Death Eater. The words echoed and multiplied inside her mind in intensity and power.

The green flash of light appeared from her wand again, but this time, it extended into a green bolt that coursed across the room and struck the dummy in its chest. The force of the spell knocked the dummy onto its back. Hermione saw her death spell hit Bellatrix Lestrange square in the chest as her laughter stopped, replaced by a frozen look of surprise as her body fell backwards, eyes wide open in death.

The implication to Hermione petrified her. _I could have just killed a human being,_ she thought as she was unable to move any more, _I could have just taken someone's life. Am I really any better than them now?_

Upon seeing the dummy fall over backwards, Gryffindor smiled. "You did it, Hermione!" he half-shouted, "You did it!"

This shouting broke Hermione out of her trance as the vision of a dead Bellatrix Lestrange faded from her sight. She dropped her wand arm to her side again, unsure what to do now.

"Miss Granger, you may sit down now," the professor suggested.

Hermione was about to do so when the bell signaling the end of the first class of the school year rang instead.

"Ah, homework for next class is a short essay on the acceptable use of the Killing Curse, citing examples of its accepted use," Geoff called to the departing class, "The essay should be at least six inches of parchment long, so don't try to extend the essay with needless details or large letters. You'll find there is plenty of material on the subject, so I want your opinions on this. This will be due next class."

As the other seventh year students left the classroom, Hermione had no intentions of leaving just yet. And neither did Ron Weasley. He had gathered his things together, but was not leaving.

"Professor Gryffindor, I'm not going to use this spell," Hermione informed her teacher.

Geoffrey realized that Hermione was still shocked by what she was able to do.

"Hermione, who did you see?" Geoff asked the star student of Hogwarts, "Who did the dummy turn into?" He saw the look of fear and rage in her eyes just before she cast her spell. He knew that she had seen something evil.

"Bellatrix Lestrange," Hermione answered.

Geoff nodded. "Hermione, do you think she would hesitate to kill you?" he inquired, sitting down behind his desk and staring right at her, "You have seen her in action. You've seen what she is like."

"She wouldn't hesitate, no," she replied immediately, for there was no denying that.

"Then why should you feel any remorse about defending yourself against her?" Geoff asked pointedly.

"What you are teaching us is wrong, Professor," Hermione declared, "You are teaching us to take the lives of others."

"No, I am teaching you to defend yourselves from the very people you speak of," Geoffrey corrected, "I am not training you to be ruthless killers."

"Professor, I disagree with this spell," Hermione said, "I will not use it."

Geoff lowered his head slowly down to his desk. "Hermione, if that is your choice, so be it," he conceded, "But there may soon come a time when the lives of your friends will depend on you. I hope you don't leave them disappointed."

Geoff was expecting Hermione to say that she didn't appreciate being sent on a guilt trip, a reply that he would not punish her for. She would have been entirely within her right to swear in his face. However, Hermione surprised Geoffrey by simply nodding, picking up her things, and leaving the room. _Perhaps she hadn't thought about it that way before now,_ he thought, as he refrained from peering into anyone's mind from here on out. "Mr. Weasley, if you have something to say, you may say it now," Professor Gryffindor declared.

Ron walked up to Geoff's desk. "Professor Gryffindor, are you insane?" he asked, a panic seeming to build up in his eyes by the moment.

"And what would make you say that?" Geoff retorted.

"You're teaching Slytherin students to use the worst curse that the Wizarding World has ever seen," Ron pointed out, "Once they learn how to use it, you could be their first victim."

Geoff laughed at that. "Mr. Weasley, why are you so afraid of your fellow classmates?" he asked.

"Because from my experience, every time something really bad has happened at this school, someone from Slytherin was always behind it," Ron explained, "Draco Malfoy was the one who got the Death Eaters into Hogwarts at the end of last year, which ended up killing Dumbledore."

"But does that mean everyone in Slytherin is evil?" Geoff inquired, "Or that everyone in Gryffindor is good? Don't tell me that Peter Pettigrew can do no wrong, Ronald, because I know you know all about him."

"But didn't you see them when they were trying to cast the spell?" Ron implored, "Didn't you see they were far too eager?"

"I consider wanting to learn a very noble path to follow," Geoff explained, "Ronald, the Killing Curse is a power. Like any power, it isn't good or evil in and of itself. It is the way it is used that is good or evil."

"How can a spell that kills on impact be used for good?" Ron asked.

"Self-defense, or the defense of someone else," Geoff answered calmly.

"The Slytherins won't use it that way, I assure you," Ron stated.

At this, Geoffrey had heard enough. He stood up and looked Ron right in the eye. "Mr. Weasley, you may be Head Boy of Hogwarts, but this is quite enough," he stated with strength, "I informed everyone in the class that the improper use of this spell will be grounds for immediate expulsion from this school. That should be enough to prevent them from trying to kill you."

"What about whom they share this knowledge with?" Ron inquired, his strength of will fading before the professor.

"I have ways of knowing things, Mr. Weasley," Geoff assured, "I'm sure your father told you that already. Now, I don't want to make you late for your next class, so I hope that I have addressed your concerns."

Ron hesitated a moment before nodding. He then took his things and left the classroom. _How can Hogwarts stand the coming storm when we are this divided?_ Geoff worried as he moved the wooden dummy to the edge of the room, _Even the Gryffindors shut others out so easily now. Damn you Voldemort!_

--

Geoffrey Gryffindor had just finished up his last class of the day and was about to leave the classroom and retire to his office on the second floor when a voice suddenly shouted at him from the door.

"Professor Gryffindor!" Neville Longbottom shouted, "Someone told me you're teaching the Killing Curse. Tell me it's a joke!"

Geoff looked up at Neville and smiled. "Relax, Neville," he replied, "I won't do anything that would put you in mortal danger. If I see anyone fooling around with the Killing Curse, they will be leaving Hogwarts immediately."

"By the time that happens, I could be dead," Neville pointed out.

"Neville, I understand why you are worried, and you have every right to be worried," Geoffrey explained, "But trust me, I will make sure that no harm comes to you. I will do everything in my power to ensure that you remain safe."

At this point, Geoffrey Gryffindor stood up and walked around his desk in order to stand next to Neville Longbottom, who had gotten the idea that it was okay to approach the professor's desk. Neville now felt puzzled by the statement Geoff had just made. "Professor Gryffindor?" he asked.

"Neville, I suppose your grandmother never told you about me," Geoff stated, "I suppose Augusta told you that you were rescued from your parents' home after the awful attack on them. That you had escaped the harm of the Death Eaters' grasp by some miracle."

"Yeah, that's what she told me," Neville confirmed, "But I've always had doubts about that. It just seemed too easy."

"That's because you weren't with your parents at that time," Geoff revealed, "You were with me, and I was taking care of you."

This revelation was something that Neville wasn't quite ready to believe, although he felt that the man in front of him was not lying. It just didn't make sense at the moment. "Why was I with you?" he asked.

"Because your parents felt that they could be attacked at the time, even with Voldemort defeated," Gryffindor explained, "With him gone, to attack a Gryffindor was to invite tenfold retaliation without restraint, so your parents knew that you would be safe with me. Your parents and I were good friends when I was here at Hogwarts, and so they entrusted me with you for your protection and to give me some experience in taking care of a baby, as I knew I would become the leader of the Gryffindor family one day. In addition, I was, and still am, bound by my honor to protect you."

"Why is that?" Neville inquired.

Geoffrey Gryffindor weighed his options at this point. _If I tell him that I'm his godfather,_ he pondered, _He will almost certainly ask Augusta if it is true. Whether she says yes or no, it will reveal to the Wizarding World that I am in a position of power, as the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts. This will make the Death Eaters hesitate in attacking anyone associated with me, including the Order of the Phoenix. Besides, Neville is an adult now. He did a bloody good job at the Department of Mysteries a year-and-a-half ago. He deserves to know the truth._

"Neville," Geoffrey began, "I am your godfather. I would have taken you under my permanent care after what happened to your parents, but your grandmother insisted that she could take better care of you. But I will do everything I can to protect you. I always have, and I always will."

Neville was dumbstruck. He didn't know how to reply to what Geoffrey had just told him. "I... I don't know what to say," Neville struggled to say, "But then where were you when I was in trouble at the Ministry two years ago?"

"I was there," Geoffrey replied, "I was with the Order members who came to your rescue. When I heard that you were in danger, I went to the Ministry as quickly as I could. I wanted to make sure that you didn't die there. I must say that your resourcefulness in that battle made me very proud. Macnair ended up losing his eye completely. Not that it matters much to him now, being locked away in Azkaban."

Neville blushed at being reminded of that. "I just saw an opening and took it," he said.

"We all did what we could," Geoff replied, "Initially, I simply wanted to make sure you could survive without losing your mind. As you know, some important things in life can only be learned through hardship, and your experience that night was one of them. I was going to spring into action myself once Lestrange killed Sirius, but then I saw her run off with Potter and Dumbledore held me back. He told me that it wasn't the time for my name to surface again. I was there, but I couldn't interfere with what was happening. Looking back, I'd have to admit that he was right."

"So what are you doing here now?" Neville asked.

"Well, I know that Voldemort wants to take Hogwarts and call it his own," Geoffrey replied, "And with Dumbledore gone, I decided now was the time for me to step into action. I have no doubts that this school will be invaded again, but when it is, it will be on my terms, not the Death Eaters'."

"I don't think I understand," Neville stated after a short pause.

"In time, you will Neville," Geoff assured, "But know this. I will do everything I can to make sure that you stay alive and well. You have my word."

Neville nodded and left the room. Professor Gryffindor followed shortly after him, locking the door behind him.

--

Author's Notes: Next week's chapter is another part of why this story is rated M, albeit a smaller part than the whole torture thing several chapters back.

Well, I really don't know what to say about this chapter right now, so everyone, read, review and enjoy.


	12. 11: A Daydream to Remember

Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to all my readers out there who read my story in the past week who have helped push this to over 4,500 hits. You are all so awesome, thank you very much. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Thanks for your continuing support. Just remember that power in and of itself is not good or evil. It is the way it is used that makes it good or evil. The Killing Curse in and of itself is not evil.

Okay, last week's Monty Python reference was, of course, Ron's fake spell at the beginning of the chapter. Romanes eunt domus is from a very memorable scene in Monty Python's "Life of Brian," where Brian (played by Graham Chapman) has completely butchered every rule of Latin grammar and a Roman centurion (played by John Cleese) puts it right.

This week's reference will be from something that everyone has at least heard of, so it should be easy to catch.

Okay, lets change gears a little for now. By the way, there's a bit of a mature situation in this chapter, so be aware of that.

**Chapter 11: A Daydream to Remember**

It was noon on Saturday, September 6, 1997, and as the Muggle world mourned, work on renovating Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place continued unabated.

Harry sighed as he lowered his wand. "That was the third boggart today," he commented out loud in the drawing room as he slipped his wand into his pocket, "Have they been breeding in here since we last cleared it out?"

Gary Gryffindor sprayed the last Doxy that was flying around him with his spray bottle filled with Doxycide, causing that pest to fall to the floor of the room with a small thud. "That is a distinct possibility," he replied to Harry, "But I think this room is finally clean. About bloody time, too. Help me with these Doxies."

Harry nodded and walked over to Gary, picking up two of the Doxies that lay on the floor as Gary grabbed the other two after attaching his bottle of Doxycide to the left side of his belt. Harry and Gary were both wearing blue jeans and short-sleeved shirts, as the work that they needed to do was rather tiring.

"What does Geoff do with these things, anyway?" Harry asked as they left the drawing room.

"Well, he'll probably give them to Madam Pomfrey so that she can make something out of their venom," Gary guessed, "Perhaps he'll give some to Slughorn so that he can make something out of it. I'm not totally sure what he'll do with these damned things."

Suddenly, as the two were walking down to the ground floor, a commotion came from one of the floors above. "KNOCK IT OFF!" Gary shouted at the top of his lungs toward the ceiling, then lowered his voice again, "That damn ghoul kept me up half the bloody night. I'm going to make sure Geoff does something about it when he gets here tomorrow afternoon. I'd do it myself, but it seems that bullets don't have much effect on ghouls and I'd rather not start blowing up the house."

"The neighbors might not appreciate that," Harry pointed out.

Gary laughed at that. "I wonder if the neighbors would even notice if I did set off a grenade in that upstairs bathroom," he wondered aloud, "I guess it's better not to find out if we don't have to."

"Agreed," Harry assented as the two walked into the kitchen in the basement, where a modified bird cage was resting on a table in the pantry. Gary opened the cage and put his two Doxies in it, with Harry following suit before Gary closed the cage again, making sure that the pests would be secure once the cage's new occupants recovered from the effects of the Doxycide.

"Well, that's all the unwanted guests from the basement to the first floor," Gary said, "I just wish there was some way of getting rid of the portrait of that damn hag."

"Have you tried shooting her?" Harry asked.

Gary shot Harry a glance. "Harry, just because I'm a Squib doesn't mean I'm a bloody idiot," he replied indignantly, "The bullets would have no effect on her. I've tried burning the thing away, but it's enchanted against that. If she did something other than screaming her pure-blood nonsense whenever someone walked by her, I wouldn't be so focused on getting rid of her. But all she ever talks about is how the Wizarding world is falling into decay because of the Muggles. I mean, even if you do believe in pure-blood supremacy, that rhetoric has to get old after a while."

Harry shrugged. "You're asking the wrong person about this sort of thing," he pointed out, "I'm not even a pure-blood."

"Not that blood status matters much," Gary stated, "It never has to the Gryffindors. I suppose we have been called blood traitors by some, but that's as far as the insults go. Any farther than that, and you risk drawing some real attention from us. And that is attention that you really don't want to have on you."

"Your family has that much power?" Harry asked.

"We always have," Gary explained, "The Gryffindor Family has always held a lot of sway in Wizarding Britain, although that power has waned a little bit in recent times. Back when Geoff was in Hogwarts, sane Death Eaters would never even think about attacking a member of the family directly unless they could prove without doubt that they were working for the Order of the Phoenix. Otherwise, if you killed a Gryffindor, you would be in deep trouble with the rest of the family."

"Didn't Geoff work for the Order back then?" Harry inquired.

"Not officially," Gary denied, "Our parents wouldn't allow it. The entire family wouldn't allow it."

"The family didn't support the Order?" Harry inquired.

"Don't take that to mean we supported Voldemort, because most of the family members at that time hated him," Gary said, "But at that time, most members of the Gryffindor Family saw the Death Eaters as just a bunch of hooligans with a political edge, a bit like the Muggle neo-Nazis. But now my family is firmly on the same side as the Order."

"Why is that?" Harry asked.

"Well, once Geoff became the recognized leader of the Gryffindor Family some years ago, he informed us what the Death Eaters were really all about," Gary explained, "And as most of the members of the family today are not pure-blood, they did not like the prospect of being wiped out for the sake of a purity they did not agree with. The change in stance has resulted in the loss of our vulnerability, but even the few pure-blood supremacists in the family agree that the Death Eaters go too far with extermination of half-bloods and muggle-borns."

"Then what do they feel should be done about them?" Harry asked, "What would they do to me?"

"Well, they take a more practical view about the so-called problem," Gary stated, "They feel that half-bloods and Muggle-borns should be relegated to lower positions in the Wizarding world. If they had their way, the Minister for Magic would always be a pure-blood. A kind of caste system, you get the idea. Of course, I think those people are stuck in the Middle Ages for the most part."

Harry nodded as his stomach began to growl rather forcefully. Both he and Gary smiled.

"I don't suppose it would hurt to ask about lunch now," Harry remarked.

"How about a few ham sandwiches?" Gary inquired.

"Sounds good to me," Harry replied, "I think I'll have two."

"Two sounds good to me as well," Gary replied as he walked into the kitchen area and began to make the sandwiches.

--

About an hour later, Harry was back up in his bedroom on the second floor of the house, lying on his back on his bed. His hunger had been satisfied by the sandwiches, but there was still something that grumbled from inside his chest.

It was the monster again. It had been troubling him ever since the end of Bill Weasley's wedding almost a month ago, but most of the time he had something important to focus on to distract his attention from its frustration. But now he was in a state of self-reflection, a state in which even the smallest sounds would reverberate inside his mind. And the growls of the monster within Harry had never been very quiet; subtlety was not one of its strong points.

_I'm getting sick and tired of you,_ Harry thought, trying to talk to himself, _You know that if everything turns out as it should, we'll have plenty of time with Ginny. But you still badger me constantly. What can I do to make you shut up for a while?_

Almost as if in response to this question, Harry's head turned to see the desk in the room, on which a number of Harry's items rested. One of them was a small box that Harry had acquired from Fred and George Weasley over a month ago. Harry stood up and walked over to the box. After hesitating a moment, he picked it up and read the description, although he knew perfectly well what it would probably do to him.

"_One simple incantation and you will enter a top-quality, highly realistic, thirty-minute daydream, easy to fit into the average school lesson and virtually undetectable (side effects include vacant expression and minor drooling),"_ Harry read to himself, _"Not for sale to under-sixteens." Not for sale to under-sixteens, and I think I have a good idea why that is._

Harry opened the box as he lay back down on the bed and pulled the instructions, written on a small piece of parchment, out of the box, along with what appeared to be a small pink sphere. Harry read the instructions first.

"_The sphere inside the box with these instructions is the source for the Daydream Charm,"_ Harry read, _"It can be easily hidden inside a pocket of any kind. This sphere can produce either two non erotic daydreams or one erotic daydream. Both kinds of daydreams will last for thirty minutes from the moment the dream begins and cannot be interrupted except by physical contact with another person. If the daydream is interrupted, it cannot be resumed or restarted unless it is the first non erotic daydream, in which case it can be restarted with no penalty. Once the sphere has been used for two non erotic daydreams or one erotic daydream, the sphere will disintegrate. In order to initiate a non erotic daydream, hold the sphere in one of your hands and say 'Dormio.' If you wish to initiate an erotic daydream, you should say 'Engorgio' instead. Note: Neither Fred Weasley nor George Weasley, the owners of Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes, will take responsibility for the improper use of this item. By purchasing this item, you have consented to be responsible for your usage of it."_

Harry took the pink sphere in his left hand and looked at it for a moment. _I suppose I might as well try it out and see what those thousand Galleons actually ended up making,_ Harry thought, _I hope this satisfies you._

"_Engorgio_," Harry said clearly.

The effects of the charm began almost immediately.

--

Harry surfaced from the water at one end of the huge bathtub in the prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor of Hogwarts. Some of the bubbles that now filled the tub clung to Harry's skin and his green swimming trunks as he lifted himself out of the end of the tub opposite the diving board. The candlelight from the chandelier illuminated the white marble interior of the room in a way that seemed very magical, even for Hogwarts.

Harry began to walk over to the corner of the room where the towels were stacked in order to dry himself off. Halfway there, however, he heard a small splash from the far end of the room that made him stop and look toward the direction of the sound. After a few seconds, he saw a mane of flaming red hair break through the layer of bubbles, followed by a female face that was filled with freckles. She took a deep breath as she broke through the surface, her bright brown eyes looking toward the sky. As her lungs filled with air, she looked back down toward where Harry was standing and a big smile crossed her face as Ginny Weasley swam toward him.

Harry smiled as well as he walked over toward the edge of the pool where Ginny was coming to. His smile broadened when he saw her climb out of the pool, the bubbles around her trying to cling to her skin and her red two-piece bathing suit that made sure that she caught Harry's undivided attention, although she knew her face was enough for that. The bubbles seemed to fight with each other for the chance to hang onto any part of her as she rose out of the water and stepped into Harry's arms. And as the two embraced each other, they also shared a long kiss as their lips met with their eyes closed. Indeed, Ginny had grown up from that little girl who was ten years old and into the very fruit of young womanhood. And she was his to love and cherish for the rest of time.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the two young adults opened their eyes again as their heads moved away from each other a little bit.

"Oh Harry," Ginny said with desire in her voice, "This is so wonderful. Everything has turned out as it should have."

Harry nodded silently in reply. Everything had turned out well for him. Voldemort was destroyed, his Death Eaters either dead or powerless, scattered to the winds, never to bother anyone again. And all those he loved had survived the trials and tribulations. Ron, Hermione, Luna, Fred and George, Geoff and Gary, and especially Ginny. Voldemort had tried to capture Hogwarts when it appeared weak, but it was a brilliant trap orchestrated by Geoffrey Gryffindor, who knew that Hogwarts was a target that the Dark Lord simply couldn't pass up. And the plan worked to perfection. Some good people fell, but in the end, good triumphed over the forces of evil.

And now, it was time for the Chosen One to celebrate his victory.

"You're right Ginny," Harry replied, still holding her in his arms, "After all we've been through, it's time for things to settle down."

"Oh, after all you've been through, I'm afraid my life must seem very dull and quiet compared to yours," Ginny retorted, "I am but a single young redhead, somewhere between the ages of sixteen and nineteen-and-a-half, cut off in this castle, with no one to protect me. Oooh. It is a lonely life . . . bathing . . . dressing . . . undressing . . . making terrible poetry."

"Well, I don't know if I can get used to that kind of a quiet life," Harry said, "But I'm willing to give it a try." Indeed, ever since Harry learned he was a wizard to the aftermath of his defeating Voldemort, events flew right at Harry at the speed of light and he had no real chance to simply stop and think about things. And he was used to that kind of life now. But he was sure that once he adjusted to a slower life, he'd find it much more to his liking.

Both Harry and Ginny shared a smile again. Then Harry glanced over to the door for a moment, checking to make sure that he had bolted it shut. Indeed, it was locked from the inside of the bathroom.

"Harry," Ginny said, causing Harry to look at her again. He saw there was passion in her brown eyes and she saw the same in his green ones.

"Yes, my love?" Harry asked.

"Take me," she replied, a slight amount of desperation slipping into her voice, "Please take me."

Harry didn't need to be asked twice as he brought Ginny close and kissed her again. For a few seconds, Harry kept his hands on the back of Ginny's head as she did with his. Then, his hands moved down to the back of her neck. There, he felt the strings of her bikini top come together in a well-tied bow which held the piece of clothing up.

"How do you tie such perfect bows without being able to see them?" Harry inquired quietly as he twirled the strings around his fingers.

"Come on Harry, you could tie your shoes without looking, right?" Ginny replied teasingly, "It's basically the same thing. It just becomes second nature after a while."

"I'm sure it does," Harry agreed as he slowly began to untie the bow, "Then you wouldn't mind if I untied it, would you?"

"Not at all," Ginny answered, making Harry kiss her again as he finished untying the bow.

At that moment, another sound that Harry had not heard yet entered his attention. It was the sound of a woman giggling, but it was definitely not Ginny. In fact, this sound was coming from behind Harry's back. Harry turned to see what it was and saw that the flirtatious mermaid had been watching all the events in the room from her portrait.

Harry smiled in spite of himself. "And for once I thought we could be alone in this castle," he commented, "How much of an idiot am I?"

"Well, you're not going to let her watch us, are you?" Ginny asked, holding up the strings that Harry had just untied.

Harry shook his head as he kissed Ginny again. His hands went around her back this time, fingering the other bow of Ginny's bikini top momentarily before he untied that bow, causing the top to fall off Ginny's chest. Harry, however, kept a hold on the bikini top as it fell off Ginny. After a moment, Harry glanced at the mermaid again and tossed the top at her. Somehow, the piece of clothing got hung up on the portrait in such a way that most of it was covered, effectively blinding the mermaid as she quickly tried to catch a glimpse of the embracing lovers again, though that was pretty much hopeless now.

Ginny looked and smiled at Harry's handiwork. "Nice toss," she complimented.

Harry chuckled. He then looked down at the floor for a moment. "The marble might be a bit uncomfortable," Harry pointed out, "Want me to conjure something like a mattress?"

"I'm sure I can manage just fine," Ginny assured as the two kissed again, "What about Myrtle?"

"Don't worry about her," Harry replied, "Natalie is distracting her for us."

Harry and Ginny shared another kiss as Harry slowly leaned forward, forcing Ginny to lie down on the marble floor below her as he stayed on top. Once on the floor, they began kissing more quickly and more passionately, each running their hands up and down each other's body. Their blood pumped through their bodies faster and faster, their bodies becoming more and more heated by the minute. Ginny moved her hands down to Harry's swimming trunks and began to pull them down off of his hips. Getting the hint, Harry got up on his knees and finished the job himself before doing the same to Ginny's bikini bottom. He then laid himself on Ginny's body again and kissed her again.

--

After thirty minutes, Harry finally sat up on his bed, a smile practically fixed on his face. The ashes of the charmed sphere now rested in his left hand. However, the first thing Harry did after waking up was to reach down and feel his pants. He sighed with relief when he felt no wetness anywhere, although he wouldn't have been surprised if there had been some.

"Bloody hell, that was no normal daydream," he muttered as he rubbed his eyes clear and wiped a bead of drool from his left cheek, "That felt like it was actually happening." The daydream was so vivid that Harry would have trouble forgetting it even if he wanted to.

_I hope you're happy,_ Harry thought to the monster within. There was no response. Indeed, it was satisfied for now, as its grumbles had ceased. However, Harry had a funny feeling that, sooner or later, even with more Daydream Charms, the monster would demand to have to real thing. _I just hope that can wait until this war is finished,_ Harry thought.

He fell back on his pillow and rested a few minutes more before getting up and leaving the room. There was always more work to be done around this hidden abode.

--

Author's Notes: With all the gloominess about everyone feeling down, I had to do something to brighten the mood a little bit. I think this chapter did the trick nicely.

Well, that's all for now. Until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	13. 12: Conversations

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all my readers in the past week, who have pushed this story to over 5,000 hits. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Well, I'd say if anyone heard the explosion, they'd think it was an attack by the IRA or something like that. And I won't be covering anything more about the second thing, at least not for now. Thanks for your support.

Okay, the Monty Python reference last week was one of Ginny's line to Harry in the daydream sequence, which is heavily based on a line from Dingo (played by Carol Cleveland) in the Castle Anthrax scene from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." I'm sure most, if not all of you have heard of it.

And now, lets move on to the next chapter.

**Chapter 12: Conversations**

Henry Gryffindor waited in the Hogwarts library on the fourth floor of the castle on the afternoon of September 6, 1997, which was a Friday on the Hogwarts schedule. And first year Gryffindor students had Friday afternoons off. He had told anyone curious about it that he was doing homework, which was true, but he had a more important reason for being in the library at this time. As a matter of fact, he had finished all the homework he had been assigned so far and was just trying to look busy to avoid the suspicious gaze of Madam Irma Pince. However, it wasn't working, as Pince walked over to Henry.

"Mr. Gryffindor, I know that there is no way you can still be working on homework," she claimed, "Your father raised you better than that, I would think."

"Is there some rule against spending your spare time in the library?" Henry inquired after a moment.

"As long as you're not causing trouble, I suppose not," Pince answered, "It's just unusual for anyone beside Miss Granger to spend more time in this library than necessary."

_Perhaps if you were nicer to us, they'd be willing to stay longer,_ Henry thought to himself. However, he had the presence of mind to not speak these words out loud to Madam Pince. "That is quite true," Henry replied as he brought up his real reason for being in the library, "I'm waiting here for someone to study with."

Pince smiled at that one. "Only the end of the first week, and already you're studying?" she remarked, obviously not believing the boy's words, "Who are you studying with?"

"A girl named Megan Blaire," Henry replied truthfully, thinking nothing of his reply.

"Don't you think you're a little young to be taking a fancy to girls, Mr. Gryffindor?" Pince inquired.

"What?" Henry asked, contemplating what she had said, then was quickly on the defensive, "Oh no, it's not that! She's just a friend!"

"Oh sure, that's how it all starts," Pince said in an intimidating manner, "That is how it all begins."

"How what begins?" a girl's voice inquired from the doorway into the library.

Henry looked toward the door. "Nothing Megan," he assured as he waved to her, "Lets get studying, alright?"

"Yeah," Megan replied with a nod as she walked over to the table her friend was sitting at.

"Just don't be too loud," Pince grumbled, "Friday afternoons are my quiet times."

"We'll try our best," Henry replied quietly as Megan sat next to Henry, pulled out her books and opened them.

"I need some help with Astronomy," Megan admitted.

"Astronomy?" Henry asked perplexed, "If there is one class a Muggle could pass at Hogwarts, it's Astronomy."

"I was never one of those children who laid back in their yards at night and looked up at the heavens awestruck by what was there," Megan explained with a small amount of embellishment, "I just never saw space as very interesting. The stars are just big balls of gas that burn for billions of years. That's all. Their placement in sky is not important and shifts over time."

"That's the Muggle point of view, the purely scientific one," Henry pointed out, "But from the magical perspective, the cosmos is filled with power. And certain alignments of the heavenly bodies shift those powers. It is fairly important to understand those shifts."

"All I know about the cosmos is this song I once heard in a movie," Megan said.

"What song?" Henry inquired.

"Um, it went something like, 'Just remember that you're standing on a planet that's evolving, and revolving at 900 miles an hour; and revolving at 19 miles a second, so it's reckoned, around the Sun which is the source of all our power. The Sun, and you and me, and all the stars that we can see are moving at a million miles a day in an outer spiral arm, at 40,000 miles an hour, of the galaxy we call the Milky Way,'" Megan replied.

Henry chuckled a bit. "You shouldn't be able to see that movie," he commented, "But what exactly are you having trouble with?"

"Orion is giving me fits," Megan said.

Henry looked up at Megan with utter shock in his eyes. "Orion?" he asked incredulously, "Orion is the most prominent constellation in the sky. You can't miss it."

"No, I know how to find it," Megan elaborated, "I just keep getting Betelgeuse and Rigel mixed up."

"Oh, well, Betelgeuse is the red one and Rigel is the blue one," Henry explained quickly, "The two are the brightest stars in Orion. Try to remember it like this; Betelgeuse is always higher in the sky than Rigel, so think of it as hot, red Betelgeuse rising and cold, blue Rigel sinking."

Megan thought for a moment. "That's a great way to remember it, thanks," Megan said with a nod as she wrote that down on some white-lined paper with her pencil.

Henry had realized by this time that Megan was not in her peak condition for some reason. After another ten minutes of studying, her being distracted became obvious after she screwed up and swapped Sirius and Procyon right after he explained how to keep those two straight.

"Megan, there's something distracting you, isn't there?" Henry inquired.

Megan just sat still for a moment, then put her pencil down on the table and began to sob quietly. This was a painful sight for Henry to see and he wanted to end it as soon as he could.

"Megan, I don't like seeing you cry," he stated quietly, "Is someone hurting you?"

Megan hesitated for a little bit, continuing to cry silently, before answering. "They're just so mean," she explained quietly with more shock than sadness in her voice, "All the time, they talk about Death Eaters and torture and killing mudbloods, and so much worse. I never realized how hateful people can be. If they knew what I am, they'd kill me."

"Who? Who are saying these things?" Henry asked with great concern.

"The other Slytherins, especially the older ones," Megan answered, "And the younger ones are being indoctrinated to hate like they do. They're even trying to indoctrinate me. And it gets worse. Parkinson is trying to teach the other older Slytherins something called Avada Kedavra, and it doesn't sound good."

At the mention of the spell, Henry's head fixed itself in Megan's direction. His eyes were wide open in disbelief. "Megan, are you sure about that?" he asked with a tone that this was of extreme importance, "Are you absolutely sure?"

"It seems I'm the only Slytherin in this school who knows the meaning of the word 'discretion,' I'm afraid," Megan replied, "They really don't try to hide anything from us. Parkinson tells us that if we prove our hatred of mudbloods and half-bloods to her, she'll teach us the spell as well. Henry, what is Avada Kedavra?"

Henry looked around first, making sure Madam Pince wasn't watching them before he leaned over and whispered his answer into her left ear. "Avada Kedavra is one of the three Unforgivable Curses. They are the Unforgivable Curses because, with one exception, to use any of them against another human being carries a life sentence in Azkaban prison," he explained, "Avada Kedavra is also called the Killing Curse, because that is what it does."

Megan's eyes went wide and had she not been in a quiet library, she would have gasped. She instinctively pulled her head and body as far away from Henry as she could while remaining in her seat. "Parkinson is teaching the others how to kill?" she asked incredulously.

"Apparently, yes," Henry replied, concern filling his voice, "Has she been succeeding?"

"Not yet," Megan replied, "Parkinson herself hasn't even gotten the hang of the spell yet. But I'm afraid that may change soon."

"I don't think Crabbe and Goyle could perform the spell with their lack of brain power," Henry remarked, "Still, I have to tell my father about this immediately. He warned those students about fooling around with that spell, I know it. He'll have no choice but to expel her immediately."

"Good," Megan replied with a sigh of relief, "This school will be better off without her. Just make sure she and her goons don't learn I was one who opened my bloody mouth. I don't want to be known as a snitch by the entire school."

Henry glanced at the door as Hermione Granger entered and talked to Madam Pince about something. "You think she would retaliate against you if she learned?" he inquired.

"Bloody hell! Of course she would!" Megan exclaimed quietly, "So don't mention names to your old man."

"Megan, he'll need proof," Henry pointed out, "And I don't have that proof. My father will need to hear this from you. Don't worry, he'll make sure nothing happens to you. I swear it."

"Henry, you don't understand," Megan implored, "The others will be after me as well once they learn it was me."

"Do you really think that Goyle and Crabbe could figure it out?" Henry pondered, "And besides, once they learn that you're a Muggle-born, you're dead anyway, right? How long do you think it will take one of the brighter Slytherins to look in a book of wizarding families and not see the Blaire Family there?"

Megan thought about that for a long moment. "I suppose I should tell your father about this," she finally stated, "I don't want to have any blood on my hands. When can we see him?"

"He is teaching the sixth years right now," Henry answered, "We'll talk to him once the period ends."

Megan nodded, though she was obviously still worried about the prospect of effectively betraying her fellow Slytherin to a teacher. Even though she didn't feel welcome by many of the older students in her house, she was quickly gaining friends among the younger Slytherin students.

"Is there something wrong?" Hermione asked the two first year students as she walked up to the table, noticing the worried looks on both their faces.

"Well, actually . . . ," Henry began, intending to tell the Head Girl about Parkinson's activities.

However, he was cut off immediately. "No, nothing is wrong," Megan interrupted, "We were just studying."

Hermione suspected that the young girl was lying, but decided this wasn't a matter worth pursuing at this time. "Alright," she replied as she walked toward the Restricted Section of the library.

"Why didn't you let me tell her?" Henry asked Megan as she began to put her books back in her bag.

"I'm telling Professor Gryffindor, not her," she replied as she picked up her bag and waited for Henry to do the same, "I want this to be between as few people as possible, and Parkinson shares that Defense Against the Dark Arts class with her."

"You can trust Hermione with your life, Megan," Henry assured as he got all his books in his bag as the two first year students left the library, "She's a Muggle-born just like you and has endured a lot of abuse over the years from the older Slytherins. She'd keep this to herself."

"No," Megan replied quickly as they walked toward the staircase down to the first floor, "I won't tell her, but I will tell your father."

For the life of him, Henry could not understand why Megan was acting like this, but he decided not to press the issue any further. "Fine, have it your way," he remarked as they continued down to the first floor, then thought the situation through in his mind completely before speaking again. "You know, you may have a point," Henry conceded, "Hermione might try to confront Parkinson herself if you told her, and that wouldn't end well either way. My father will make sure this stays between us."

"Good," Megan replied as she led the way to the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom as the final bell of the first week of classes rang, "Because I'm not planning to die anytime soon."

_Wow, she's a really good Slytherin,_ Henry thought, _I guess the Sorting Hat knew what it was doing._

--

"For homework," Professor Geoffrey Gryffindor began as the sixth year students began leaving the classroom, "I would like an essay on the origins of Dementors and their status throughout the history of the Wizarding world. There is plenty of material in the library and your books about this, so the essay should be at least 12 inches of parchment long. I will not be in my office tomorrow, but I will be there on Sunday to answer your questions. Have a nice weekend, everyone."

As most of the sixth years left the room, Ginny Weasley walked toward the professor's desk and waited for some kind of acknowledgment of her presence there. Geoff knew who was standing there without looking, and immediately knew he wanted to be somewhere else. _I know exactly where this is going,_ he thought, _I'm not going to enjoy this at all, but she leaves me no choice._

"Having trouble with your assignment already, Miss Weasley?" Gryffindor inquired.

"Professor, how is Harry doing?" Ginny asked, her eyes hopeful that she would get an answer.

Geoff wanted to shut down this line of inquiry immediately. He didn't want to have Ginny asking him about Potter. But he decided to begin with a more caring angle. "Ginny, I understand how you feel," Geoff consoled, "But if you care about Harry, you won't ask me about him again."

"You have no idea how I feel," Ginny replied angrily, tears beginning to well up in her eyes, "I haven't been able to pay attention to any of my classes so far and McGonagall is starting to threaten my place on the Quidditch team unless I get my head back into my school work. I need to know that Harry is okay to do that."

"Ginny, to tell you the truth, I haven't seen Harry since the semester began," Geoff admitted, "In fact, I'm going to see him and my brother tomorrow morning, along with an old friend of mine. Now, that's all I can tell you."

Ginny started to cry at this. Obviously, this explanation was insufficient for her.

"Look, I'll tell you this right now," Geoff elaborated, "This is a situation where no news is good news. Keep that in mind and I'll tell you what you need to know. I can tell you that since I haven't heard anything, nothing is wrong right now. If I hear anything that you might need to know, I will tell you."

"I'll learn for myself," Ginny claimed recklessly and without thinking, "I'll send him a letter."

This set Geoff off. "Ginny, do you have any idea what is going on here?" he asked forcefully as he stood up from his desk, "Do you have any idea what will happen if that letter is intercepted by Death Eaters?"

Ginny hesitated for a moment before nodding, knowing immediately what that would mean. "Yes Professor," she replied as the tears began to roll down her face.

"_I hope you're not intending_

_To be so condescending, it's as much as I can take . . . "_

"If everything goes right for us," Geoff explained, "Harry will be back in your arms safe and sound before this school year is over. I promise you that, Ginny."

Ginny nodded in reply. She understood why Harry had left her behind while he sought Voldemort's destruction. She understood that Harry wanted to keep her out of danger, and that Hogwarts was the safest place in Wizarding Britain at this time. Her mind understood everything that was going on. Unfortunately, the heart rarely understands anything outside of itself and its own desires. And that was certainly the case right now. Ginny's heart wanted Harry to be nearby to comfort her, to hold her, to . . . please her. As she left the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, she continued to cry.

"Miss Weasley, before you leave, I'd like to tell you something I've learned from my experiences," Geoff called.

Ginny halted and turned back toward her Head of House. "Yes Professor?" she asked, struggling to hold back her tears.

"Knowledge is power," Geoff began, "A power that can save your life. However, that power can also bring unwanted and unfriendly attention onto you. At this point, the less you know about Harry and his actions, the safer you are. He wants you here to protect you from harm, but I want you here so that you can't put Harry at greater risk than necessary."

"I would never betray him to anyone," Ginny declared.

"You say that now, and I believe you mean that," Geoff assured, "But has your resolve ever been tested by the Cruciatus Curse?"

Ginny looked at the floor before answering. "No, I've never been hit by that spell," she admitted, "But I have encountered it before. I've even had it fired at me."

"I have experienced its pain before," Geoff replied, "I cannot put into words how terrible the feeling is. All I can say is that within fifteen seconds, I started to wish that I would just die so that it wouldn't hurt anymore. And from what I understand, most start thinking that thought earlier than I did. I just cannot be sure that your resolve is that strong. And I don't want to test it, not just for your sake or my sake, but for Harry's sake as well."

"Yes Professor," she replied as she left the classroom.

"Ginny?" Henry inquired, seeing a severely distraught prefect walk past him.

Ginny stopped and wiped the tears from her face, her mind starting to take control of her body again. _I have to be strong for the younger ones,_ she thought as she turned to face the two first years students, _We will endure this. We must._

"Yes Henry?" she replied, putting up as strong a demeanor as she could.

But Henry saw right through it. He didn't have telepathic abilities like his father did, but he did have a very perceptive mind. "You seem distressed," he pointed out, "Is there anything I can do to help you?"

Ginny shook her head. "No, this is something I have to deal with on my own," she explained as she walked toward the stairs leading up to the Gryffindor common room.

Henry began to follow Ginny when he felt a hand on his left shoulder. "Come on," he heard Megan say, "We have more important things to worry about than a lovesick prefect."

Henry was shocked for a moment at Megan's choice of words. He had only known her for a week, but he didn't think of her as a cold, uncaring kind of person. "Megan, she's obviously in trouble," Henry pointed out, "We should help her."

"If we spent our time trying to help out everyone with problems in this castle," Megan countered, "Parkinson will have taught those blockheads, Crabbe and Goyle, how to perform that spell before we could tell your father about it. Besides, I don't think there is much you could do for her right now."

Henry took a moment and decided that Megan was right about this. He turned and nodded to his friend. "You're right," he admitted, "But it's just that I hate seeing people in pain if I can help it."

"You can't in this case," Megan replied, "I have a feeling Weasley is having boy troubles, which neither of us can understand right now. But we can tell Professor Gryffindor about Parkinson. And that's what we are going to do."

Henry nodded again as he led the way into the Defense Against the Dark Arts classroom, where his father was packing his things into a large case. "Dad," he called out as he walked toward his father, Megan trailing behind, "I need to tell you something."

"Mr. Gryffindor, how many times have I told you not to address me like that in this castle?" Geoffrey sternly asked, without even looking up at his son. He was not going to show anyone preferential treatment as a professional.

"Oh, sorry Professor, but I have some news you need to hear," Henry stated, "Pansy Parkinson is teaching other Slytherins the Killing Curse."

That statement made Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor to freeze in place and drop the book that was in his right hand. As the book slammed on the floor, Geoff looked right at his son with an angry glare. "Henry, I thought I raised you better than this," he lamented, "I thought I taught you to not suspect others simply because of their appearance or their affiliations."

"I'm not!" Henry denied, trying to bring his evidence forward.

But his father would hear nothing of it. "Henry, you cast undue suspicion on your peers," he continued, "I made it absolutely clear to Miss Parkinson and the other seventh years in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class that if they fool around with the Killing Curse at all, they would be expelled immediately. I made sure that everyone in the class knew it wasn't an idle threat, so unless you have some evidence of your claim, Henry . . . "

"But he does have evidence," Megan interrupted quickly, seeing this as the right time to do so, "I'm the one who saw her trying to teach the spell."

Geoff's demeanor quickly changed. The stern father, angry at his son's failure to learn his life lessons, was replaced by a calm, even-tempered man much more fitting to his position as a teacher. "Miss Blaire," he began as he walked out from behind his desk, "You are saying that you saw Ms. Parkinson teaching the Killing Curse to Slytherin students who aren't in the Defense Against the Dark Arts class?"

"Unless Crabbe and Goyle are in that class, then yes," Megan replied, "And she's even offered to teach the spell to those outside of her little inner circle if we prove ourselves to her, whatever that is supposed to mean."

Geoff's eyes went wide upon hearing this. "I don't believe this," he said, "Did she think I was kidding?"

"I think it's more along the lines of her thinking that she won't be caught," Megan corrected, "She believes she has all the Slytherins outside of her inner circle in a web of fear that prevents anyone from talking about her activities."

Geoff suddenly saw a golden opportunity to spy on the inner workings of Slytherin House, which was the one thing in Hogwarts he didn't know about up to now. But he didn't want his son to get mired in something like this. "Henry, I'm sorry I accused you of dishonesty," he stated, "I'd like to speak with Miss Blaire in private about what she has been seeing. Have a nice weekend."

"Yes Professor," Henry replied as he left the room. Once he did that, Geoff walked over to the door and closed it, making sure it was locked before returning to Megan.

"Obviously, you are not intimidated by Miss Parkinson, are you Megan?" Geoff asked the first year Slytherin.

"To be honest, I am a little intimidated," Megan corrected, "But I can't see anything good coming from what Pansy is doing."

Geoffrey decided to see what angle Megan was coming from in this matter. "But couldn't this spell give the members of Slytherin House a huge edge over all the others?" he asked as he sat down in a desk seat and motioned for her to sit in the one next to her.

"Quite the opposite, in fact," Megan replied as she sat down, "Considering that eventually someone will slip up and the teachers will learn that Slytherins who shouldn't be able to perform the spell can, and suspicion will be cast upon us all. And nothing good can come of that. We're already looked at poorly by the other students, and justified suspicion would only make it worse."

"For a first year student, you certainly have a very mature mind," Geoffrey complimented, amazed that those words were coming from an 11-year-old girl, "I suppose the Sorting Hat knew what it was doing when it sorted you into Slytherin."

Megan nodded. "Pansy and her inner circle do make me feel somewhat uncomfortable," she admitted, "But I find that quite a few of those in Slytherin are like me. And I think they feel the same way about what she is doing and want it stopped. I suppose you'll have no choice but to expel her now."

Geoff looked at Megan for a moment. _Why does she bring that up so quickly?_ Geoff wondered, _Does she want Parkinson gone?_ "If I did, that would leave a power vacuum inside of Slytherin House," he said to himself, but making sure Megan heard clearly, "Who would fill it?"

Megan did not reply verbally, but the widening of her pupils and the slight smirk that formed on her face told Professor Gryffindor everything else he wanted to know about Megan Elizabeth Blaire. _She catches on quick, is very intelligent, very cunning, and is a power-seeker, even at such a young age,_ Geoff thought, _This girl is trying to maneuver me into getting rid of her rival in Slytherin House._ As a general rule, Geoff always tried to keep innocent children out of his schemes. But this was an opportunity he simply could not possibly pass up on over a question of morals. _She has come this far on here own, so she can handle the truth,_ Geoff decided, _Lets see how much she can handle._

"Megan, you are a Muggle-born, correct?" Geoff asked.

"I suppose Henry told you that," Megan answered, "Yeah, I am. But I haven't told that to any of the Slytherins."

"Then I suppose I'll have to tell you about our world, if you feel you are ready to hear it," Geoff posed to the girl.

"I have heard about this bloke named Voldemort, but he's usually referred to as You-Know-Who or He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named by everyone outside of Slytherin and the older Slytherins sometimes call him the Dark Lord," Megan commented, "Does he have something to do with all this?"

"Pretty much everything to do with it," Geoff affirmed, "His real name is Tom Marvolo Riddle, but he goes by the name Lord Voldemort now. He is a very powerful wizard. He went to Hogwarts from 1938 to 1945, having been recruited from a Muggle orphanage by the late Headmaster Dumbledore. He always knew he had powers beyond what he should have, and once he got to Hogwarts he wanted to learn more about his legacy. He learned that he was the last of Salazar Slytherin's direct descendants, and his quest to learn more about his legacy lead him down a path of murder. By the time he committed his first murders, he sought to be all-powerful and immortal."

"Why would he want to do that?" Megan inquired, a sense of fear starting to creep into her about her own desires for power.

Geoff smiled upon seeing her reaction to her own power-hungry nature. "Don't worry Megan, I'll make sure you don't follow his path," he assured her, "You are already starting off down the right path, making friends with those around you. Voldemort never did that. He saw those around him as hindrances rather than helpers. Where he could have seen friends, he saw enemies instead. And when he learned of his Muggle heritage, he sought to destroy it."

"Wait, all the Slytherins say he is a pure-blood," Megan interrupted, "You're saying he's not?"

"A deception on his part to gather followers willing to kill for him," Geoff explained, "He is a half-blood wizard, but he has grown to hate anything but pure-blood wizards and witches. In fact, he trusts no one and has no real friends. That's the way he likes it, and if it weren't for his trail of destruction, I'd be sorry for him. I met him once. He's a shell of a man now, barely human at all."

Megan didn't hear the end of this part of Geoff's explanation, as her mind was disturbed by the implications of Voldemort's hatred. "Now I see why he must be destroyed," she stated, "He's like Hitler."

"His genocidal rages are certainly a reason why he must die, but I take a much broader view on this," Geoff began, "At Hogwarts, we really don't 'teach' you magic, as you had that from birth. Yes, we may be able to unlock some magical potential, but most would unlock that potential themselves through time and experimentation. The real reason we bring wizards and witches in the United Kingdom to Hogwarts today is to teach them to control their magical powers."

Megan nodded, understanding the rationale behind this. "If Muggles at large learned that wizards and witches are still around, there might be trouble," she concluded.

"Exactly," Geoff affirmed, "We teach you to focus your magic powers in order for you to understand discretion. However, Voldemort does not practice this virtue, and his actions will eventually lead to our kind being rediscovered by Muggles on the large scale. So far, the Ministry for Magic has been able to contain his actions, but I don't know how long they can keep it up for."

Something from a year ago suddenly popped into Megan's mind. "That was no hurricane in West Country last year, was it?" she asked.

"That was the work of giants," Geoff replied, "A freak hurricane was the cover-up the Ministry for Magic gave to the Muggle media. Fortunately, they bought it, but I don't think that they will remain oblivious for much longer at this rate. If Voldemort takes control, our kind won't stay hidden from Muggle view for long. I actually think that might be his mission, to expose us to the Muggles in order to start a war to prove our superiority. No matter the cost, that cannot be allowed to happen. It's a fight we aren't guaranteed to win, and the victory may even cost us too much."

Megan nodded her head. They had just entered an area that she was not quite ready to enter. Not because she couldn't handle the truth, but because she hadn't thought about the big picture before. "I can't worry about keeping this world hidden from view," Megan claimed, deciding that now was the time to press the point home to the professor, "But if you expel Pansy Parkinson, I can guarantee you that Slytherin House will be behind you. I have given you the evidence you need, and others have seen what's going on. They will support my story, I assure you."

Geoff was shocked by this maneuver. "What do you think this is? A deal between street gangs?" he asked with anger, standing up from his seat.

Megan chuckled at this. "I know a winner when I see one, Professor Gryffindor," she explained, "I have done my own research on you and your past. I admire those who are willing to take matters into their own hands, even if that means resorting to getting you hands dirty at times."

Geoff sat down and smiled. He now knew that Megan was everything he needed for his plans. "I didn't kill any of those Death Eaters, although I would have taken responsibility for their deaths if some conditions were met beforehand," Geoff replied, "They were not."

Megan was starting to get frustrated at Gryffindor for holding back. _I guess he still thinks there's an innocent, little girl locked in this mind,_ she figured, _How do I convince him otherwise?_ Megan decided to take a real risk at this point; she had no idea how he would react to this.

"How did it feel?" she asked innocently.

"How did what feel?" Geoff replied for clarification, although he had a sinking feeling he didn't want to know.

"How did it feel to watch a human being die because of your actions?" she inquired.

Suddenly, Geoff was the one being taken places he wasn't ready to go. He also knew that Megan was not looking for an honest answer to her question. _She wants me to stop looking at her like she's a little girl,_ he realized, _She wants me to look at her as an equal._

"Megan, I don't think we should continue this conversation anymore," Geoff said, testing her, "I don't think someone your age should be asking about that. You speak of death so casually that it disturbs me."

"My apologies, but I can't help being the product of my raising," Megan explained, "My father was a member of the Marines when Argentina invaded the Falkland Islands. He killed quite a few soldiers there."

"I know about that conflict, but what does that have to do with you?" Geoff asked.

Megan looked right into Geoff's eyes. "You know, I think we are a lot alike, Professor Gryffindor," she remarked, "We both feel that the world today has become far too soft and cannot handle simple yet ugly truths anymore. I hear all these pundits going on and on about how terrible death is and how it needs to be avoided at all costs. Death isn't some terrible tragedy, but often is a measurable cost of your actions. A lot of Argentinian soldiers were killed in that conflict. Some even by my own father. Their deaths weren't tragedies, no matter how anyone wants to paint it. Their deaths were the prices they paid for standing against Queen and Country."

In Geoff's mind, Megan grew a whole six inches in the blink of an eye. She had his attention as an equal now. "But that war occurred about four years before you were born, Megan," Geoff pointed out, "That can't be the only thing that influenced you into what you are."

Megan looked down at the floor. _I suppose I'd better get everything out on the table now,_ she rationalized. "You want to know how I lost my innocence, don't you?" she asked with a tone of sadness in her voice.

"Did someone . . . ," Geoff began to inquire, thinking the worst.

"No, it's not like that," Megan quickly clarified, "It was only back in April that this happened, actually. There was this boy that I couldn't stand in school who kept bullying me. One day, he was calling me bad things in the hallway and I just . . . snapped." She closed her eyes, pained by the moments that followed.

"You lost control of your powers," Geoff stated.

Megan nodded. "I knew that there was something strange about me, but I had been able to hide it for the most part in school. But finally, I turned toward that boy and pointed my finger at him, intending to give him a good tongue-lashing. All of a sudden, before I could say anything, a bolt of electricity shot out from that finger and hit him. He went down to the ground and started to scream in pain, rolling around and even going into the fetal position. My mind was so shocked at what was happening at first that I couldn't do anything to stop it. And once I could do something, I found that my mind was being taken over by an urge to continue making him suffer for all the pain he had inflicted on me. 'He had it coming,' my mind told me, 'Make him suffer as you have suffered because of him.' After that, everything was kinda hazy and these strangers filled me in. He survived and made a full recovery. I guess I passed out or something because the next thing I remember after attacking that boy was that there were strangers trying to talk to me."

"Those were probably damage control personnel from the Ministry for Magic," Geoff informed, "They specialize in memory alteration. It sounds like you used an unfocused version of the Cruciatus Curse on that boy. It's not unheard of, but it is rare and I've only heard about it happening in the States."

"I was expelled from school immediately, but no lawsuits were filed against me, which was a miracle," Megan continued, "For the next three months, I just lived in my room for the most part, afraid that the smallest insult would get someone killed. And then the letter from Hogwarts came and everything suddenly made sense."

Geoffrey smiled at this turn of events. "As if one piece of a puzzle suddenly makes all the other pieces make sense," he assessed, "I know the feeling well."

"Initially, I was really excited about learning what I truly was," Megan explained, "And my parents found my being a witch to be something worth celebrating. But then I became a bit apprehensive about this place. But then I met Henry, and I must say that when we were put in separate houses, I was really disappointed. But I've grown to like it there."

Geoff nodded as he thought about his next move. "Megan, do you really have the ability to take control of Slytherin House if Parkinson were expelled?" Geoff asked, "Please give me the truth on this one."

"It might take some time, but I already have all the first years behind me," she answered, "And considering that it seems that the Slytherins get dumber as they get older, if Pansy were expelled, I'd be able to take over control of the house before Crabbe and Goyle could figure out what happened. Plus there seemed to be a bit of a power vacuum in Slytherin when I got here, as if someone who should be here and in control isn't."

"Your powers of perception are impeccable, I must tell you," Geoff replied, speaking to an equal now, "A young man named Draco Malfoy was supposed to be in his seventh year here, and he has been leading that inner circle of Slytherin students since they first arrived here. However, his father is a Death Eater who failed Voldemort on a mission of great importance to him. So Voldemort ordered Draco to kill Headmaster Dumbledore and find a way for the Death Eaters to invade Hogwarts. He was successful with the latter, but couldn't do the former himself. As a result of his actions, he has been suspended from Hogwarts indefinitely."

Megan nodded, starting to get a very good idea of what was going on. "From what Henry has told me, there seems to be a smaller power vacuum in Gryffindor as well," she stated.

Geoff had to tread very carefully at this point. "That's because Harry Potter is not here either," he informed, "I'll tell you more about him at another time, but if Voldemort is our Adolf Hitler, Harry Potter is our Winston Churchill, using our Muggle analogies."

"His greatest nemesis," Megan mused, "Is he a Muggle-born like me?"

No, like Voldemort himself, he is a half-blood. Now, I understand your concerns about the activities going on in Slytherin," he commented, reverting back to the original subject, "But I don't think I'll expel Miss Parkinson, at least not now."

Those words hit Megan with the force of about ten stunning curses inflicted at once. _I gave him everything he needs to expel her,_ she thought, _How can he deny me like this?_

Geoff sensed the panic in Megan's mind. "Megan, I have a better idea," he assured, "If I expelled Parkinson at this point, you may not be able to gain control of Slytherin fast enough. Crabbe and Goyle might have just enough combined brain power to stop you. However, if I could demonstrate that I have her under full control, you'd be able to do your scheming with her distracted by a futile search for the traitor within Slytherin. What do you think about that?"

Megan thought about it for a moment. _All of those in Slytherin who know about my friendship with Henry are those I trust,_ Megan thought, _And no one in Slytherin saw us on the way to this room or entering the library. I know Henry's mouth is shut. And Granger's mouth is probably sealed. If not, Professor Gryffindor will see to that._

Megan slowly nodded her head. "At least this way, I won't seem suspicious to the older Slytherins," she admitted, "I think this could be that start of a fruitful partnership for both of us, Professor."

"One last thing, although I guess this goes without saying," Geoff reminded, "This conversation doesn't leave this room. Don't even tell Henry about this."

Megan nodded. "Of course," she replied, "I like him the way he is right now anyway."

"I've been hearing about your interactions with him from Professor Slughorn," Geoff informed, "Which reminds me that I need to talk about that Felix Felicis potion I had him make for me. In any case, I hope Henry isn't too shocked by this side of you."

"Felix Felicis?" Megan inquired.

"It's a very special potion, and very dangerous if abused," Geoff explained, "Think of it as liquid luck. Drink a little and everything will go your way for a certain amount of time."

"I suppose you should make sure Henry doesn't get his hands on that when he starts liking girls," Megan joked.

Geoff gave a hearty laugh in reply. "I think you know Henry well enough to understand that he isn't the kind of person who would take advantage of anyone," Geoff pointed out.

Megan nodded in agreement as Geoff went to the door of the classroom, unlocked the door and looked out into the hallway. Seeing no one around, he nodded to Megan as a signal for her to leave the classroom. Megan did so, walking normally down the hallways to the Slytherin Common Room, a huge weight lifted from her shoulders. Meanwhile, Geoff sat down in his chair in the classroom and analyzed what had just occurred carefully. For the most part, he tried to justify using an 11-year-old in his plans for controlling Hogwarts. _She's not an innocent little girl,_ he argued to himself, _Bloody hell, her take on the world is almost the same as mine. I couldn't do anything to help her upbringing, and she understands exactly what's going on here. She knows that Voldemort would kill her. The only reason I'm conflicted is that she has a 15-year-old mind in an 11-year-old body._ Despite this, he still felt guilty about all this. He knew that he shouldn't get Megan involved in this, but she offered him something he otherwise could not get. He understood that Hogwarts was divided between the Gryffindors and the Slytherins. He also knew that the Ravenclaws and the Hufflepuffs were going to or already had taken sides with the Gryffindors. The Battle of the Department of Mysteries two years ago and last year's invasion of Hogwarts itself by Death Eaters pretty much cemented everyone against the Slytherins, the house which created practically all of them.

And now it appeared that the younger Slytherins were starting to question the direction of the older ones. _Can't say I blame them,_ Geoff thought, _Most of them aren't pure-bloods anyway and would be killed because of that. It's just that the sentiment against Parkinson and the other seventh years is splintered right now._ But he knew that Megan had the ability to unite that sentiment within Slytherin House and become its leader. And once Geoffrey Gryffindor had control of the Slytherin common room, he would have control of all Hogwarts. And with that control, he could put his plans in motion with more effectiveness than he thought possible.

_I wonder just how many more opportunities like these will pop up for me,_ Geoff thought as he finished packing his bag and left the classroom, locking the door behind him. He would be heading back to London tomorrow morning on the Hogwarts Express to check up on things at Harry's home. He could just Apparate directly into Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place from any secluded place in Hogsmeade, but he knew that the Ministry was keeping a close eye on things near Hogwarts, and since they wouldn't be able to find the place where he would appear, someone would investigate. His using the train wouldn't be tracked, and he could make up an excuse if he needed one. He walked up to his office on the second floor, where he found three students waiting for his help.

--

Author's Notes: Yeah, I know the whole Megan being more than what she seems thing didn't come off well, but it was the best I could do. I was playing Jade Empire at the time I was writing this chapter, and some of the things in that game influenced parts of this chapter.

The point of this chapter is one I'm going to be making many times over in this story, and is a criticism I have toward J.K. Rowling's way of ending the Harry Potter series. While _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ is a great book, the ending did feel somewhat hollow in a way. I don't want to spoil anything, but I'll just say the end was too easy. Rowling ends the series saying that good only triumphs over evil, which is a complete fallacy in my opinion. Good alone will always be trampled into the dust by evil. But good can use evil against evil and win. That is why you're going to see the "good" guys in my stories doing evil things at times. Is it right for Geoff to use a girl in his quest to ensure Voldemort's destruction? No, of course it isn't. But good must resort to using evil to destroy a greater evil. I could go on a rant now about how much this has hurt our civilization, but that's for a later chapter.

Well, that's about all for now. Until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	14. 13: Unlikely Allies

Author's Notes: Once again, a big thank you to all my readers in the past week, who have read my stories in the past week. This story has been pushed to over 5,500 hits, while _The Legend of Zelda: Land of My Dreams_ is now at over 6,000 hits. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Yes, Megan will have a vital role to play in this story. Thanks for your support.

Guys, please, if you want to submit a review, please do so. I love hearing the opinions of the fans.

Okay, the Monty Python reference from the previous chapter was Megan singing the first verse of "The Galaxy Song" from _Monty Python's The Meaning of Life_, which Megan should not have seen as it is rated R. Obvious if you saw the movie, but if you didn't, you're fresh out of luck.

On a more solemn note, my best hopes go out to the people of the Gulf Coast, once again being encountered with a massive hurricane. I hope things turn out okay for them.

Well, lets get into a little bit of chaos now.

**Chapter Thirteen: Unlikely Allies**

The next morning, Geoffrey Gryffindor was carrying his bag, which was packed with lesson plans and diagrams that he wanted to go over once he got back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. He needed to get their before Harry encountered his new house mates, or else there would be hell to pay, and Geoff knew it. As he traveled through Hogsmeade, he kept his guard up, his wand in plain sight in his right hand to discourage possible assailants. He wasn't afraid to fight, as he knew he was more powerful than most Death Eaters. He simply didn't want to deal with the Ministry right now.

_The less I have to deal with Scrimgeour, the better,_ Geoff thought as he approached Hogsmeade Station and the London Express train, which was an exact copy of the Hogwarts Express in all ways but two. First, it was colored sky blue instead of the flaming scarlet of the Hogwarts Express. And second, the London Express had only two passenger cars attached to it, and more often then not, one would be left behind when the train left the station because there weren't enough passengers to fill the first car. The Hogwarts Express always carried many more cars, for it always had to transport hundreds. However, if you were in a hurry and didn't want to Apparate, the London Express did traverse the distance between Hogsmeade and London twice as fast as the Hogwarts Express did. The train would be leaving Hogsmeade Station at 8:00 A.M. and would arrive at King's Cross in London at 11:30 A.M..

"Professor Gryffindor, you've already been sacked?" Katie Bell asked from her location behind the ticket counter.

Geoff laughed for a few seconds. "No, I just need to deal with some things back in London," Geoff replied, "I'll be back tomorrow morning."

"Why don't you just Apparate to London, then?" Bell inquired, "It would be faster."

"Because I don't want the Ministry to know where I'm going," Gryffindor clarified.

"Oh, I see," Katie responded with immediate understanding, "In that case, I don't want to know what your plans for today are."

Geoffrey smiled at his newest agent. "Just make sure to keep your eyes and ears open for anything out of the ordinary in Hogsmeade," he instructed.

Katie nodded as Geoff bought a ticket and boarded the London Express. Taking a seat in the compartment closer to the front of the train, he waited a few minutes before the train finally lurched forward, with only one passenger car in tow, and began to run its way through the countryside to King's Cross Station. To pass the time, Geoff decided to study his notes for next week's classes again, and also pondered how Parkinson would react to being caught red-handed.

--

It was just before noon at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place when Harry saw that a wall of the drawing room had been drastically redecorated by Gary recently. In place of the old wallpaper that was once there was now a wall covered with at least 30 pictures, all of them moving in their portraits. As Harry approached the wall, one of those pictures recognized him.

"Harry Potter! I will kill you!" Voldemort shrieked from his portrait in the middle of the group.

Harry instinctively went for his wand, but then thought about the situation he was in for a moment. _I know Gary must have set this up,_ he figured, _So there's no way these portraits can be connected to their living counterparts._ This calmed Harry down quite a bit, though he was still unnerved that he was face-to-face with Voldemort here in his last sanctuary.

Ignoring his picture for the moment, Harry noticed some writing below the black-and-white picture of the evil force that needed to be destroyed.

"Name: Tom Marvolo Riddle, Jr. Aliases: Lord Voldemort, You-Know-Who, He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named, and the Dark Lord. Born: December 31, 1926. Known Offenses: The triple homicide of Timothy Riddle, Abigail Riddle, and Thomas Riddle, Sr. on August 2, 1943 in Little Hangleton, UK," he began to read, "The homicide of Hepzibah Smith in October 1945." Harry continued to read down the long list of things that Voldemort was known to have done, eventually coming to, "The double homicide of James Potter and Lily Potter on October 31, 1981 in Godric's Hollow, UK. The attempted homicide of Harry James Potter on October 31, 1981 in Godric's Hollow, UK." Harry paused for a moment after reading those two, then continued until he finally reached, "The suspected homicide of Amelia Susan Bones on June 30, 1996 in London, UK. Running a terrorist organization, called the Death Eaters, and ordering multiple crimes as its leader." The list continued with his affiliations, last time and place seen, and his status, which was listed as, "Alive, armed and extremely dangerous."

"Potter! You will die!" the portrait of Voldemort shouted again, trying to get Harry's attention.

"You want to tell me something, Voldemort?" Harry angrily answered as he stood up and faced the picture of his arch-nemesis, "Besides that I'm going to die? Tell me something I don't know."

"Why do you even bother trying to kill me?" Voldemort asked, "What will it get you? It won't bring your parents back from the dead, or anyone else for that matter. Not Cedric, not Sirius, and not even Dumbledore. And you will still die even if you do kill me."

"I'm not afraid of dying Voldemort," Harry replied, "And I'm doing this for the sake of protecting others from you, not revenge."

"You lie, Potter!" Voldemort roared, "This is all about revenge and you know it! Why else would you be trying to kill me yourself otherwise?"

"Because I'm the only one who can kill you," Harry answered as he began to examine the other portraits, "You might as well shut up now, I have no further interest in talking to you."

Surprisingly, the portrait of Voldemort did not speak following this, but a smile began to cross his face. Harry barely noticed this fact as he examined a picture of Bellatrix Lestrange, who was sleeping in her portrait at this time. Harry quickly realized that all these pictures were of known Death Eaters who were still alive and at large, or at least still believed to be alive. All of their sheets were arranged the same way as Voldemort's. Harry guessed that this was supposed to be a checklist of some kind, telling Geoffrey and Gary who were still around that needed to be taken care of in one way or another.

However, as Harry looked at all the pictures, two men who were known Death Eaters and still alive were absent from the wall. _I'll have to ask Geoff what's going on with those two when he gets here,_ Harry thought as he turned to leave the room.

"We aren't so different, Harry," Voldemort said calmly just before Harry left, "Remember that."

Harry gave no thought to this statement as he went down the stairs into the basement, where Gary was busy preparing lunch. "Those portraits in the drawing room can't communicate with their living counterparts, right Gary?" Harry asked the younger Gryffindor brother just to be sure.

"What kind of an idiot do you take me for, Potter?" Gary asked as if offended, "It's just to keep track of whom we're dealing with. But you probably won't be taking part in those missions."

"You mean I have to stay locked up in this house until Voldemort is dead?" Harry inquired, the thought of being imprisoned in this particular house being rather unsettling to him.

"Harry, if you were seen outside, the Death Eaters would swarm all over you as soon as they saw you," Gary reminded.

"They didn't swarm me when I left Privet Drive," Harry pointed out.

"Only because my brother informed many people that he would be protecting you when you left that house," Gary explained, "That information eventually found its way to the Death Eaters, who were suddenly very reluctant to go after you. And when Voldemort found out that only one Death Eater went after you on that occasion, he flipped, from what our sources tell us. Next time they see you, not even my brother's mystique will keep them away from you."

Harry was about to reply to that when he noticed a body that was partially concealed by that day's copy of the _Daily Prophet_. The head and torso of the body were hidden, but Harry could see the legs and arms, all clad in black, along with a pale right hand. It was a hand which Harry could swear he had seen somewhere before, and it definitely wasn't Geoff's hand.

Before he could investigate this, however, there was a loud knock that came from the front door of the house. "That must be my brother," Gary remarked as Harry walked back upstairs to the ground floor and walked past the portrait of Mrs. Black to reach the door and look through the peephole there. Outside, Harry saw the face of Geoffrey Gryffindor, wearing his red and gold robes.

"What's the password?" Harry inquired.

"How to recognize different trees from quite a ways away," Geoff correctly replied.

Satisfied that he wasn't an imposter, Harry unlocked the door and opened it, allowing Geoff to enter the house. Once he was inside, Harry closed the door and locked it again. "Gary is downstairs preparing lunch," Harry informed the elder Gryffindor brother.

"Excellent," Geoff replied as he began to go downstairs.

Harry was about to follow him when a loud scream came from the top floor of the house. "Get back, you damn ghoul!" Harry heard a familiar masculine voice yell, followed by a string of spells. Immediately, Harry began to run up the stairs, followed by the Gryffindor brothers and the man who had been sleeping underneath the paper. They needed to stop Harry from getting to the top floor first.

--

"Harry, wait!" Geoff yelled as he reached the top floor of the house and ran toward the bathroom on that floor. The screams of the ghoul finally stopped, only to be replaced moments later by a scuffle and the shouting of two young men. As he reached the bathroom, he saw what the screams were being caused by.

"How did you get in here Malfoy!?" Harry asked through his gritted teeth as he and Draco Malfoy were trying to choke each other to death, both having their hands at each other's throats.

"That's enough you two!" Geoffrey yelled as he grabbed Harry by the waist and pulled him away from Draco, forcing both young men to stop choking each other.

However, Draco lunged at Harry again, incensed by what had just happened. Gary placed himself between the two in order to stop Draco from assaulting Harry, but that wasn't necessary, as someone else rushed in and stopped him.

"Stop it Malfoy!" Severus Snape shouted as he held Draco back by grabbing his shoulders.

"Bloody hell! He's here too?!" Harry shouted as he tried to get his wand, "I'm going to kill you, Snape!"

"Harry, calm yourself," Geoff ordered, "I'll explain this to you."

--

About fifteen minutes later, Harry, Geoffrey, Gary, Severus, and Draco were all seated around the table in the basement kitchen. Geoff was seated at the head of the table, with Severus on his right and Gary on his left. Harry sat next to Gary and Draco was next to Snape, so that the two young men were seated right across the table from each other. There was still obvious hatred from Harry toward Draco, a hatred which, at this moment, wasn't being returned.

"Geoff, you better have a good explanation for why these two Death Eaters are in my house," Harry told the current Hogwarts professor.

Geoff smiled at Harry. "Harry, I can understand why you're angry," he began, "And you have every right to be angry. I mean, with all you've been through in your life, I'm surprised you haven't killed anyone yet. But I trust Severus with my life, and you should have realized by now that Draco knows he made a huge mistake."

Harry knew that Geoff was right about Draco; his fateful eavesdropping on the former Slytherin student made Harry realize that Draco didn't have what it took to be a cold-blooded killer. But Harry had a lot to say about Snape. "Geoff, Headmaster Dumbledore trusted this man," Harry replied as he pointed at Severus, "With his life as well. And in case you haven't heard the news yet, Dumbledore was killed by the very man he trusted. He has tormented me for the past six years for no reason other than my father saved his life once. I don't understand what you see in Snape that is trustworthy, but he will betray you, just as he betrayed Dumbledore."

Gary smiled once Harry's rant had ended. "Come on, Potter," he encouraged, "You've been waiting for six years to say what you want to say about him, and you're just going to stop at that? There must be more that you want to put out on the table now. Come on, let him have it."

For the first time ever since they had been acquainted with each other in Harry's first Potions class, he finally felt that he now could belittle Severus Snape without fear of punishment. Gary had empowered him, and now Harry was going to use that power. He stood up and looked Snape right in the eyes. "What did I ever do to you, Snape?" he asked angrily, "What have I ever done that warranted your treatment of me? From the day we met, you belittled me for no fault of my own, but because my father saved your life! Yes, my father did terrible things to you, but I am not James Potter! The sins of the father should not be passed onto the son, yet that is exactly what you have done. You have treated me as my father treated you. For six years, you sought to punish me for crimes which I didn't commit, crimes I didn't even have knowledge of for years. You know what Snape? You are nothing more than a child who was never loved by his parents. Well, I'm sorry if you feel that way, but it is time for you to grow up. You even thought of my mother as scum when she tried to help you!"

At this, Severus could finally take no more. "I'll put you in your place, Potter!" he raged as he stood up and reached for his wand.

"Severus!" Geoff snapped as he grabbed Snape's arm, "This isn't the place for that."

"You think all of this has to do with your father, Potter?" Severus asked Harry as he sat down again, shaking his head, "You don't even know the half of it."

Harry was about to reply, but Geoff shut him down as well. "Harry, that's enough," he ordered, "That's enough from both of you. This bickering is pointless." Meanwhile, Gary simply chuckled softly.

"What's so funny, Squib?" Draco inquired.

Although Harry wanted to throttle Malfoy again upon his addressing Gary that way, he apparently took it in stride. "If we are going to work together, we better not hide anything from each other," he rationalized, "Besides, a little spending of emotions can do you some good."

Geoffrey took a glance at his younger brother, then addressed the whole table again. "The reason why you're here now is because we are on a mission to end Voldemort's reign of terror once and for all," he began, "And in order to do that, we have to find his three remaining Horcruxes and destroy them. Three others have been found already by others and destroyed. Harry found and destroyed Tom Riddle's diary four years ago, Dumbledore found and destroyed Marvolo Gaunt's ring last year, and we destroyed the Horcrux inside Salazar Slytherin's locket a month ago. Severus, since you are more familiar with this branch of dark magic than I am, could Voldemort split his soul any more than six times?"

"If he did make six Horcruxes, then he could make, at most, two more," Snape answered.

"What about the ones we've destroyed?" Harry inquired, "Do those go back into Voldemort?"

"Fortunately, it doesn't work that way, Potter," Severus replied, "Once he splits his soul, it can only be reformed in the afterlife or in ways that the Dark Lord cannot possibly bring himself to do."

Harry sighed with relief. Even if Voldemort somehow learned of the loss of his three Horcruxes, he could only make two more. But it would be better if Harry didn't have to track down another two items to complete his quest.

"So, what is our next course of action, Geoffrey?" Severus asked the leader of the group.

"I figure that we should destroy the Horcruxes as quickly as possible, but not too quickly," Geoff answered, "I don't want any Death Eaters or the Ministry to get wise as to what is going on."

"What's wrong with the Ministry knowing?" Harry inquired, "We could use the extra help."

"The Death Eaters have ears inside the Ministry, Potter," Draco replied, "It would be just as bad as walking up to Bellatrix and telling her what the whole plan is."

"Along with the fact that it is inevitable that the Ministry will fall to the Death Eaters," Snape added, "The Dark Lord wanted it done before the school year started so that he could implant me into the Headmaster's office, but with your getting involved, Geoff, he hasn't been able to rally enough support for his operations. Plus he wants this done quietly. The transition has to take place quickly and seamlessly. Otherwise the Ministry's new leadership wouldn't be supported by the people and they'd have no authority to do what they want to do."

"Draco and Severus are right," Geoff affirmed, "While I do have someone in the Ministry that I can talk to, it would be in our best interest if our operations didn't raise any red flags for anyone."

"So, what are the possible locations of these Horcruxes?" Draco asked.

"Well, we've come up with a few candidates for the remaining three," Gary began, "First is a condemned Muggle orphanage near Vauxhall Bridge Road, here in London."

"Why would the Dark Lord hide a piece of his soul there?" Draco inquired derisively.

"To remind himself of how far he has come," Geoff theorized, "They say half of where you are going is knowing where you have come from. Tom Riddle spent his first decade of life in that orphanage, and now look at what he has become. Quite a story, I must say, and one he would certainly want to remind himself of."

"Alright, fine, I'll give you that one," Draco conceded, "Where else?"

"Hogwarts," Harry replied, "Voldemort sees Hogwarts as the most important place in his life, where he learned about his power and his legacy. And there are plenty of hiding places in the castle."

"And I know practically all of them," Geoff boasted, "Lastly, there is the Riddle Manor in Little Hangleton. That is where Voldemort truly began his quest to take over the Wizarding world, with the murders of his Muggle father and grandparents. However, my contact in that village was killed three years ago, so we'll have to wait on that account.

"So, I will go back to Hogwarts and continue searching for a Horcrux there. Gary, you'll run reconnaissance on the orphanage in question with Draco. Just remember not to be seen by any other wizards or witches. I want to know what is going on there: kinds of activities, Death Eater presence, anything of importance. And Severus, I would like you to go to Little Hangleton and do some snooping about there. The Riddle Manor is almost certainly restricted to visitors, so I need someone who can get me past Muggle legal barriers. You've told me there are no Death Eaters there at this time. Lets hope it remains that way," Geoff finished.

And with that, the meeting was concluded. The three older men and Draco stood up and all of them but Geoff left the kitchen. Harry felt that Geoff wanted to talk with him, and he was right, so he remained in his seat.

"Harry, I'm sorry about the surprise you went through a little earlier," he apologized, "I was going to explain everything about Draco and Severus to you before you saw them."

"Geoff, Draco was ordered to kill Dumbledore," Harry claimed, "And when he couldn't do what Voldemort asked of him, Snape murdered him instead."

"Harry, don't think I didn't know that," Geoff responded, "Dumbledore had been cursed by that ring, anyway. He would have died within a year, according to Severus. And he needed to preserve his cover. Dumbledore may have spoken in riddles, Harry, but he was a master strategist. Even after his death, he continues to set things in motion that will help us."

"Dumbledore said he trusted Snape with his life," Harry pointed out.

Geoff leaned forward toward Harry and stared at the young man for a long moment. "So do I, Harry Potter," he revealed, "So do I."

Harry was stunned by this assertion. "But why?" he inquired.

"Because he saved my life when he didn't need to," Geoff explained, "I'll always remember that day, December 25, 1981. His action to save me changed my life forever. It is a story you will get to hear before this is over, Harry, trust me."

Harry was getting more than a little sick with hearing that he would hear the story of Geoff's past later, but he decided that he didn't have a choice. _Besides, he did know my parents, so I'm sure this will be worth the wait,_ Harry reasoned to himself.

"Well, I suppose you need some time to process all this new information," Geoff commented as Harry stood up and walked with Geoff out of the kitchen, "I need to have a talk with Severus about a few things."

Harry nodded absently as he began to walk up the stairs to his room.

"Oh, Harry, one more thing," Geoff called before heading to the drawing room.

Harry stopped and looked back toward the Hogwarts professor.

"I would much prefer if you didn't take a nap today," he suggested, "I have a feeling Voldemort is going to invade your mind again soon. As long as you're awake, his intrusion will make him suffer too severely to find out anything, but if you're asleep he may find out just whom Severus is working for."

"Okay," Harry replied as he nodded and then went up to his room, making sure to avoid Draco along the way.

--

"He plans on starting again tonight?" Geoff inquired.

"From what I understand, yes," Snape replied as the two old friends sat at a small table in the drawing room of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, "And if the Dark Lord learns that the boy is here, you're all dead, and I'm dead when he learns I have been triple-crossing him all this time."

Geoff glanced back down at the various parchments that had been laid out before looking back up to Severus. "I heard you tried to teach Harry occlumency, though," Geoff stated, "I guess it didn't work."

"That is a gross understatement, Geoff," Severus replied tersely, "I couldn't teach him to close his mind at all. Unless we can keep Potter from falling asleep, we're all dead men."

"Not necessarily," Geoffrey corrected as Snape looked at him for an explanation, "Severus, have you ever heard of telepathic occlumency?"

Snape had to ponder for a few moments on that one. "I have heard one or two things about it, yes," he answered slowly, "But from what I understand, it is only practiced in Russia nowadays."

"Well, I went to Russia about four years ago," Geoff informed Severus, "And I was fortunate enough to run into someone who knew the technique. And she was able to teach me to perform the occlumency. There is some amount of risk, though."

"The risk level is irrelevant," Snape commented, "Since he won't respond to the ordinary occlumency techniques, you'll have to perform the telepathic method on him."

"Yes, I suppose you are right," Geoff affirmed reluctantly, not telling Snape that he would have to banish something in Harry's mind in order to complete the process. He would just have to make sure it was something that wasn't important to him.

"Well, that aside, what else do you need my help for, Geoff?" Severus asked his old friend.

"Well, something came up at Hogwarts that I did not anticipate," Geoff replied, "It seems that one of the new students is already trying to overthrow Parkinson as the unofficial ruler of Slytherin House."

This bit of information got Snape's undivided attention. "He must be very cunning to be trying that," he remarked, "Or very foolish. Why do you bring this up?"

"First of all, it's a she," Geoff corrected before continuing with the question asked, "Well, in the past, I told myself I would never get children involved in any of my schemes; call it old-fashioned thinking, but I just believe that children aren't to be corrupted and used in schemes for seeking power. But we have agreed to combine our skills to ensure that the entire school is loyal to our side instead of Voldemort's."

"How did you convince a Slytherin to commit their loyalty to you?" Severus inquired, "And don't use me as an example."

Geoff chuckled. "She's a Muggle-born," Geoff replied, "And as she put it, seeing as Voldemort would have her killed for her 'impurity,' she has sided with me in order to live."

"Parkinson is too smart to allow her to take control of Slytherin," Snape pointed out, "She will not succeed."

"That's where I come into play," Geoff explained, "You see, I am teaching the seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts students the Killing Curse for self-defense purposes. I explicitly told them that any attempted misuse of the spell will be grounds for immediate expulsion. It turns out that Miss Parkinson is trying to teach the spell to those outside the class, according to this first year. I could simply expel her, but that wouldn't help either of us."

"You're going to let her stay after directly violating the rules you set up for her?" Snape asked incredulously, "How can you justify that?"

"I'm going to let her know that any further unauthorized teaching will get her out of school," Geoff continued, "Privately, of course. I don't want any other opportunistic Slytherins to tamper with our plans."

"That will put your partner at risk, Geoffrey," Snape observed, "I could live with that, but can you?"

Geoff paused for a moment before answering, "Severus, I can only take things as they come, not all at once. I'm partially telepathic, not an accomplished divination expert. If you are asking if I will protect this student, then the answer is that I will. I couldn't live with myself otherwise."

Severus nodded. "I heard that Minerva made you the Deputy Headmaster of Hogwarts," he remarked, "Congratulations."

Geoff nodded to his friend. "Thank you, but I really don't deserve the position," he pointed out, "Every professor, even Hagrid, has more right to the position than I have."

Snape shook his head in disappointment. "Geoffrey, humility is not going to win you anything," he complained.

Geoff laughed as he and his best friend continued to catch up with each other and pour over various homework assignments. "Sorry, but that's just the way I was raised," he answered.

--

It was well into the night when Geoff put his unfinished work away for the night and walked slowly upstairs to Harry's bedroom. He knew that the Defense Against the Dark Arts job was going to require a lot of concentration and hard work on his part, but he was mentally exhausted at this point. It wasn't that he hated the work; quite to the contrary, he loved it. It was just that he had never read so many essays that looked so similar. Of course, he hadn't gotten around to Miss Granger's essay on the Avada Kedavra curse yet, so he was looking forward to that one; she had found a gold mine of information in a book in the Restricted Section of the library and her essay was three times longer than the six inches of parchment he had asked for. He had heard much from the other professors about the brilliant mind of Hermione Granger, and Geoff was looking forward to seeing if she lived up to the hype.

Geoff found the door to Harry's bedroom wide open. Inside, Harry was laying down on the bed face up while Severus was sitting on a stool in a far corner of the room. He had heard of telepathic magic before, but had never seen it in person; Geoff never had a chance to develop his powers while in Hogwarts. This was an experience he simply could not miss. And besides that, Geoff needed him present in case something went wrong.

Geoffrey entered the bedroom and walked up to the end of the bed and looked at Harry. Harry looked back at him, although Geoff could see that he was getting very tired at this point.

"Can I sleep now?" Harry asked with a yawn.

"Just a moment, Harry," Geoff affirmed as he turned toward his old friend, "Severus, in case something goes wrong, I need you to break the connection between Harry and myself as soon as you can."

"How will I know that you're in trouble?" Snape inquired.

"If you see both of us start convulsing violently, that's when you'll have to separate us," Geoff explained.

"Is there any chance of permanent brain damage if that happens?" Severus inquired.

"If you have to separate us, that is almost a certainty," Geoff informed, "But I don't think there will be a screw-up here. I know how to do this." Geoff then turned his attention back to Harry.

"What exactly is going to happen to me?" Harry asked with a bit of fear.

"Harry, I am going to perform telepathic occlumency on you as you go to sleep," Geoff answered, "It will close your mind to Voldemort's probing once and for all, if it works. However, once I close your mind, I'll have to banish something from your mind in order to leave it without further damage to both you and myself."

"What sort of thing will be banished?" Harry inquired nervously.

"I think a memory would be best," Geoff replied, "But I can determine that once I'm inside and your mind has been closed. Harry, the choice is yours, but if you don't seal your mind from Voldemort, he will learn about everything, including whose side Severus is truly on."

Harry tried his best to smile. "I suppose there is no choice in the matter," he mused, "Go ahead, I'm sick of the nightmares from him anyway."

Geoffrey nodded and walked up the right side of the bed to Harry's head. Snape walked up behind Geoff, wanting to get a good look at this.

"Remember Severus, only separate the connection if both of us start convulsing violently, not just one," Geoff reminded his friend, "Both Harry and I will do so in turns, but we shouldn't together."

"I understand," Snape replied with a nod.

"Harry, you can go to sleep now," Geoff said, "Just relax and go to sleep. I'll do the rest."

Harry nodded and closed his eyes as he began to drift into the night's comforting embrace. As he did so, Geoffrey slowly reached his left hand up to Harry's face and, one by one, touched the fingertips of that hand against four points on the left side of Harry's face. He then did the same with his right hand on the right side of the face, beginning to establish a solid telepathic connection between the two.

"I am in your presence," Geoff said softly as he closed his eyes and concentrated, "I am in your mind. My strength is your strength. Let me share my strength with you."

--

The next sensation Harry felt was that he was surrounded on all sides by the purest shade of white. He looked around him, trying to see if anyone was here with him, but he saw no one at first. He began to walk around slowly, trying to figure out where he was, but it didn't matter how far he walked; the place looked the same from any point within it.

"Where am I?" Harry asked aloud.

"We are in the landscape of a dream, Harry," Geoff's voice answered from behind him.

Harry immediately turned around and saw Geoffrey Gryffindor standing only ten feet away from him, his presence now seemed like something divine. Perhaps it was his red and gold robes which stood out so well against the white background. Or maybe it was his tall frame and his noble features. Harry couldn't tell exactly what it was, but Geoff seemed to be different from what he had seen in his dreams.

Now that he was within Harry's mind, Geoff picked up on this thought immediately. "I appear different from the other things you dream of because I am actually here," Geoff clarified, "My consciousness is inside your mind, Harry. Now all we can do is wait for a dream to come along."

Harry nodded, but he still had questions about the place he was now in. "How come I don't remember this place if this is where dreams begin?" he asked as he continued to look around.

"Because our dreams are so vivid that this barren plane is simply forgotten once we wake up," Geoff explained, "Similar to how a dream is quickly forgotten with time."

"Unless you get a visit from Voldemort," Harry commented, "I can't forget any of those dreams, and believe me, I've tried."

Geoff nodded in agreement. "From what I have read about the subject, which isn't really all that much, when one person tampers with another's dreams, those dreams are much harder to forget," Geoff informed, "So you will probably remember this dream as well. However, I'll make sure it's the last one you have to hold on to that you'd rather not want to remember."

Harry nodded to Geoff as both men continued to wait for their unwanted visitor to arrive. While they waited, Geoff started humming a tune that vaguely reminded Harry of puppets for some reason. He was about to inquire about this to Geoff when a dream finally started to take shape around them.

The first thing Geoff noticed was that the room that was forming around them was illuminated by candlelight from a chandelier that hung from the ceiling in the middle of the room. As the white marble walls formed around them, Geoff started to feel that he knew what this place was. The small pool in the floor made him certain of it.

"The prefects' bathroom on the fifth floor?" he inquired with surprise, "How did you get in here?"

"After the first task of the Tri-Wizard Tournament, Cedric told me to come in here in order to understand the clue to the second task," Harry told Geoff, "He gave me the password to the room. I haven't been in here since then."

Geoff nodded as he looked around, obviously with positive memories about this room. "I remember after I became a prefect, I would come in here all the time when I needed to just forget about the world for a little bit," Geoff said with a smile, "I even had a date in here that I'll never forget."

That admission made Harry's face turn slightly red. Geoff didn't notice as he pushed one of the faucets that surrounded the small pool in the center of the room. Geoff took his time to take in the smell of that particular set of bubbles, which were a shade of forest green.

"This one was always my favorite, the forest scented one," Geoff explained, "I can't put into words what kind of effect this . . . ," and then Geoff trailed off as his head jerked toward the door of the room. Harry's head had also turned there, but not in reaction to Geoff's.

"I feel it as well," Harry confirmed as fear began to fill him, "He's coming."

Geoff turned off the faucet and quickly walked over to the wall next to the door and pushed himself against it, his face facing away from it. Geoff had done this kind of hiding act before, and he knew that the door would hide him from view when opened. That door was also the only way into the room besides the plumbing.

Sure enough, the door burst open only moments later. Geoff could no longer see what was happening, but listened carefully.

Harry saw Lord Voldemort, cloaked in black, enter the room slowly. However, he wasn't alone. The only reason he moved as slowly as he did was that he was holding Ginny Weasley in front of him, with his right forearm wrapped in front of her neck, pining her back to his body. At the same time, his left hand holding a wand to her head. She was being used as his human shield.

"Well Harry, I'm back," Geoffrey heard that unmistakable voice proclaim, "Did you miss me?"

"No," Harry replied defiantly, "And you won't get any information out of me."

"Harry, please, help me!" Ginny pleaded softly, tears welling up in her eyes.

It pained Harry to see Ginny like this, even if he knew it was only a dream, but he knew that he could not give Voldemort any information. He tried to show no emotion as Voldemort delighted in her pain.

"I will make this simple, Harry," Voldemort began, "I will ask you a question. And every time you don't give me an answer, I will torture her. Lie to me, and she will be punished twice as much. Give me the truth, and she is not harmed. Understand?"

"I'm not going to give you anything, Voldemort," Harry responded.

Ginny looked at Harry. Though she did not speak, her look told Harry everything. It also sealed his resolve. She looked at him and her eyes were screaming for him to give Voldemort whatever he wanted to know. They wanted him to surrender. The real Ginny Weasley would have never thought such a thing. Plus, she would have understood that she would be killed regardless of what Harry did. Even without Geoff's help, Harry wouldn't give Voldemort anything now.

"Now Harry, I have a funny feeling that one of my followers is really double-crossing me," Voldemort began, "Who is it?"

Before Harry's body language could possibly give anything away, Geoff quickly slammed the open door shut, causing Voldemort to release Ginny as he turned around to see what had happened. "Sorry Riddle, but this is where your tampering with Harry's mind ends," Geoff declared as he stared Voldemort in the eye.

As Ginny ran into Harry's arms, Voldemort quickly pointed his wand at Geoffrey. "_Avada Kedavra!_" he screamed.

All Geoff did in response to the green jet of light coming right at his chest was to place his right hand in the way of the death blast, which dissipated harmlessly when the spell came into contact with his hand. "Nice try, but you cannot harm me here," Gryffindor explained as he slowly walked toward Voldemort, "And I will not allow you to harm Harry either."

Voldemort finally seemed to recognize who it was standing before him now. "Geoffrey Gryffindor, we meet again," he said with a smile as he put his wand away, "I have heard many rumors about you."

"I know," Geoff replied with indifference, "I made sure they started those rumors. I made sure that your followers fear the very mentioning of my name."

"You and I aren't so different, you know," Voldemort informed, "We both know that in order to serve the greater good, you have to break some rules of morality and you aren't afraid to break them."

Geoff gave Voldemort a very cold stare at this. "Only because you made me like this," he retorted coldly, "You started a sequence of events that turned me into what I am now. I was once like Harry over there. I would never think of harming another being without being provoked first. But then you came and took everything away from me. And for that, here is your reward!"

Voldemort crossed his arms in front of his body, but it was a useless defense. Geoffrey hit Voldemort with the open palm of his right hand and bellowed, "BEGONE AND NEVER RETURN!" The consciousness of Voldemort disintegrated from Harry's dream, and Geoff made it so that it could never enter Harry's mind again.

Geoff looked at Harry with a smile after all this had happened. "Well, I'll leave you two to get on with your business then," he stated, knowing his job was done.

But Harry then saw something that made him confused and afraid again. "Geoff, behind you!" he warned.

Geoff turned around and gasped. "No! It's you!" he cried as he caught sight of Lord Voldemort, standing against the wall, just as Geoffrey had just done.

Geoff's tone threw Harry into further confusion. It seemed as if he was deathly afraid of Voldemort now. "Did it not work?" he asked.

"The occlumency worked," Geoff replied, his voice still filled with fear, "This is something completely different."

Harry looked back at Voldemort and realized that this was true. This Voldemort, who was wearing a black cape with a hood that covered the top and sides of his head from view, looked more human than monster. His face was scarred and waxy and his eyes were red, but this Voldemort looked more like the Tom Riddle that Harry had seen applying for the Defense Against the Dark Arts position than the Voldemort that lived now. Suddenly, Harry realized that this must have been Voldemort from before his first defeat.

"October 31, 1981," Voldemort began to say in a voice that was also altered with a new body and to serve a completely different purpose, "Do you remember that night, Geoffrey Gryffindor?"

_October 31, 1981,_ Harry thought for a moment, _That was the night he killed my parents._

Geoff knew immediately what was happening. "No, leave me alone! You should not be here!" he screamed at the younger Voldemort.

"You were there, Gryffindor," Voldemort continued, nothing of his body moving except for his mouth, "You were there when . . . "

But he wouldn't get the chance to finish that sentence. "NO!" Geoffrey shouted as he lunged at Voldemort and grabbed his shoulders. At this, both men dissolved into thin air as Harry felt Geoffrey's consciousness leave his mind.

"Harry, what was all that about?" Ginny asked.

"I don't know, Ginny," Harry answered, still holding her in his arms, "But I'm sure Geoff will tell me, sooner or later."

--

Geoffrey was shaking so violently that Severus was about to remove his hands from Harry's head when Geoff suddenly threw himself back against the wall, his eyes now wide open with a look of terror that Snape had seen all too often in his life. He felt that he should wait until Geoff regained his composure before asking him anything.

Finally, after a few minutes, Geoff had calmed down enough for Severus to say, "You did block the Dark Lord's influence, didn't you?"

"Yes," Geoff replied, his voice wavering as he spoke, "But there was another one already there."

"Another one?" Snape asked, "What do you mean?"

"Voldemort did come to get the information from Harry, and I destroyed his connection to Harry," Geoff explained, "But then I encountered another Voldemort in Harry's mind. He started to talk about that night, almost as if he knew I didn't want to hear about it."

Severus knew what night Geoff was talking about. Suddenly, he knew what had happened in Harry's mind. "That was a Horcrux, Geoff," he concluded.

Geoff quickly looked at his friend as if he had grown a second head. "Wait a minute," Geoff said, "Are you telling me that Harry himself is a Horcrux?"

"Yes, that is what Dumbledore told me last year," Snape replied, "And he implied that the boy would have to die in order to defeat the Dark Lord once and for all."

Geoff took a moment to collect his thoughts on what had just happened. "Well, Harry won't have to die anymore," Geoff assured his friend, "I banished the Horcrux from his mind in order to break the connection between us."

"What does Harry know about that night now?" Severus asked.

"I made sure he learned nothing," Geoff replied, "I will tell Harry what happened that night when the time is right. But right now, I need him to trust me, and if he learned the truth about what happened, I don't think he could ever forgive me. I certainly wouldn't forgive myself if I were in his shoes."

"He is a rather forgiving person, Geoffrey," Snape pointed out, "Sometimes a little too forgiving, if you ask me."

Geoff nodded. "Be honest with me Severus," Geoff began after a moment, "You have never forgiven me for what I did that night, have you?"

This was obviously a touchy subject for Snape to talk about. "No, I haven't," he replied reluctantly, "But you shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

"I haven't forgiven myself, Severus," Geoff said, "And I probably never will."

Snape looked at his best friend now and knew what Geoff wanted, what he had wanted for the past 17 years. _Geoffrey, you have to learn to forgive yourself,_ he thought, and though he wanted to say this to Geoff, they had this conversation before. Severus decided to change the subject to something he needed to inform his friend of.

"How is Charity doing?" he asked, referring to the professor of Muggle Studies at Hogwarts.

"Professor Burbage?" Geoff began, "I don't see her all that much outside of staff meetings, but she seems to be doing well. Why do you ask?"

"She's been targeted by the Death Eaters," Snape informed.

That caught Geoffrey's undivided attention, as he knew what that meant. "You want me to watch out for her?" he inquired.

"I think that would be the prudent thing for you to do," Severus replied, "Believe it or not, I was always fond of Charity."

Geoff chuckled. "And by that, you mean you didn't hate her at all," he stated with a smile.

Snape glared at Geoff coldly. He never liked it when Geoff brought up his social problems.

Snape's glare was all Geoff needed to perceive to know that he was going too far now. "Sorry Severus," he apologized, "I'll make sure that those Death Eaters will have to go through hell to get to Charity."

"Thank you," Snape replied as he walked out of the bedroom, with Geoff following him a few moments later. He would go down to the kitchen in the basement and have a drink before going to bed. He wanted to wash away the memories of that night, but he knew that was impossible. He would always live in shame of what had happened that fateful night.

--

Author's Notes: Obviously, Harry is still not happy with the new living arrangements at his house.

And yes, I took the name Rowling gave for the Muggle Studies teacher. But I will give her a bit more personality than Rowling did.

The event I am referring to toward the end of this chapter will be revealed in detail in Chapter 26, which I haven't started yet. It will be a monster chapter, though. I can promise you that. And it will explain a lot.

Well, until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	15. 14: Week Two at Hogwarts

Author's Notes: A big thanks go out to all of you who read my stories in the past week. During the past week, the number of hits for this story exceeded the hit count of my previous story, _The Legend of Zelda: Land of My Dreams_, passing 6,000 total hits along the way. And a special thanks go to my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Yeah, Harry is certainly not happy to see Draco and Snape in his home, but he'll have to deal with the circumstances. But Harry is a reasonable person, as we all know. And as for the mind thing, Geoff banished the Horcrux from Harry's mind in order to leave it, and thus did not have to remove any of his memories. Thanks for the support.

Last week's Monty Python reference was a password used during the chapter. The password, "How to recognize different trees from quite a ways away," is actually the title of the third episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. Another British reference I added into the chapter (albeit a very subtle one) was the song that reminded Harry of puppets. This refers to the Genesis song "Land of Confusion," whose music video is extremely memorable for its use of demented-looking puppets representing the members of Genesis, along with many other people, including then-US President Ronald Reagan.

Seven years since September 11, 2001. My best goes out to all the family members and friends of the victims of that terrible tragedy, as well as to the hope that we can one day put our differences aside and live together in peace.

And now, on to the next chapter. Be prepared, this one is a bit long.

**Chapter 14: Week Two at Hogwarts**

It was Monday morning and the seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts students were continuing their studies of the Unforgivable Curses. Today's focus was the Imperius Curse and ways to spot someone who was being manipulated by it. The class was just about to end.

"The Imperius Curse has a dual nature," Professor Gryffindor explained, "On the one hand, it causes no obvious pain like the Cruciatus Curse and does not kill. However, the very nature of this spell is quite terrible, when you stop to think about it. This spell takes away the victim's free will and makes them like a slave. It is with very good reason that the Imperius Curse is considered an Unforgivable Curse. However, and I hope you are never forced into doing this, this curse can be one of the most helpful tools you can ever find. That said, don't use it."

There was a little bit of chuckling from the students in the classroom as the bell ending the class period. "Done already?" Geoff asked aloud, "Another short essay for homework, six inches of parchment on the ways the Imperius Curse has been used. Please try to include something unorthodox in your essays. Trust me. There have been a lot of creative uses of this particular spell."

As the class began to file out of the room, Geoff noticed that Pansy Parkinson was in no hurry to leave the classroom. "Miss Parkinson, I'd like to have a word with you," he said with an uninterested tone.

Pansy glanced suspiciously at Geoff for a moment. "I handed in my essay, professor," she retorted dismissively as she turned back to her fellow Slytherins.

"Miss Parkinson, this isn't a request," Geoff informed her, "I would like to talk to you alone. Now."

Geoff now had Pansy's undivided attention. "I'll catch up with you guys later," she told her house mates as they left the classroom. She stood up and walked up to Geoff's desk. "Is there something wrong with my essay, sir?" she asked, making sure to add a sarcastic edge to the final word.

"Your essay was a bit unoriginal and bland, but that is not what I want to talk to you about," Geoff replied, "You will stop teaching the Killing Curse to those not in this class, is that understood?"

At first, Pansy was shocked by the fact that her professor learned of this and began to panic. However, she quickly composed herself. "Professor Gryffindor," she stated slowly, as if she were innocent, "I have no idea what you mean by that."

Geoff sighed as he pulled his wand out of his robes and pointed it at the classroom door, slamming it shut immediately and locking it in place. "Don't play games with me, Parkinson," he warned as he stood up from his seat behind the desk, "I warned you about abusing that curse, but it seems that you didn't listen."

"Professor Gryffindor, I have not been teaching the Killing Curse to anyone," Pansy lied, "Are you going to judge me by the company I keep?"

"No, Miss Parkinson, because your own record speaks for itself," Geoff retorted, "You joined Dolores Umbridge's 'Inquisitorial Squad' two years ago here. From what I understand, you did some very shady things then."

"All under Professor Umbridge's orders," Pansy pointed out quickly.

"Still, from what I've heard, you were rather eager in violating the privacy of your fellow students," Geoff continued, "And that greatly concerns me, to be honest with you, Miss Parkinson."

"Yes, I suppose that invasion of privacy is so much worse than torture and murder," Pansy replied sarcastically, intentionally accusing Geoffrey of those acts.

Now she had gone too far. Geoff stormed over to where Pansy was standing and looked down at her face. "Miss Parkinson, don't you turn this conversation against me," he ordered firmly, "I informed you that abusing the Killing Curse in any way would be grounds for immediate expulsion from Hogwarts. I have learned that you were teaching the Killing Curse to those who have not been authorized to learn it. Now, what would you say I should do with you?"

Pansy paused for a moment, knowing that the jig was up. She was about to be expelled from Hogwarts. Someone in Slytherin had not only betrayed her, but betrayed her to a Gryffindor. To Pansy, it was the ultimate insult. And she wasn't very confident in the abilities of Crabbe and Goyle to figure out just who had snitched on her. "If you feel I have broken the rule you set forward, then you should punish me as you see fit," Pansy replied as she slowly reached into her right pocket for her wand. She wouldn't be leaving Hogwarts without a fight.

Geoffrey smiled slightly when Pansy said that. "Yes, I should expel you," he affirmed, "But I am not going to."

Parkinson was once again caught off-guard by Professor Gryffindor. "You aren't going to expel me, sir?" she asked cautiously, not believing her ears.

"No," Geoff replied as he shook his head, "I am not going to expel you this time. For now, I will let you off with a warning. But let me make this absolutely certain. If I ever hear that you have been teaching the Killing Curse to anyone outside this classroom or abusing it in any other way without my explicit permission, you will be shown no leniency. You will be packing your bags and leaving this school, never to return. Have I made myself clear, Miss Parkinson?"

"Perfectly," she replied with a forced smile.

Geoff looked at her for a moment. _She has no intentions of listening to me,_ he deduced from her body language, _She plans to start indoctrinating the Slytherins again once she weeds Megan out._ However, he was confident that Megan would cover the tracks on her end well enough. "That will be all Miss Parkinson," Geoff finally said, "You may go now."

Pansy said nothing as she picked up her belongings and left the classroom. Although she showed a calm demeanor, she was in a rage inside. Someone in the Slytherin family had betrayed her to the enemy. And once she got back to the common room, she would find the traitor and demonstrate to the entire house what the price of treachery was.

--

Megan was sitting in one of the green chairs in the Slytherin common room on Tuesday afternoon, finishing the reading that had been assigned by Professor Gryffindor in the previous class for today's class when Pansy Parkinson and several other seventh year Slytherin students walked into the room, carrying on a conversation that had started about an hour ago.

_Just act normally, Megan,_ she thought to herself, _Pansy doesn't have any evidence against me._

"What about her?" Crabbe inquired as he pointed a fat finger at Megan.

Megan continued to read, though her muscles grew tense. But Pansy scoffed at this suggestion. "Could someone remind me how Draco put up with you two idiots for six years?" she asked rhetorically.

"Well, he . . . " Goyle began.

"Shut up!" Pansy snapped, "I wasn't expecting an answer to that! Crabbe, what in Merlin's name would make you accuse her?"

"Well, uh, I saw her sitting next to the kid who told us to go into the prefect's car while we were on the train coming here," Crabbe informed, "So she had to be involved with that."

Pansy rolled her eyes as she turned to face her thickheaded henchman. "Crabbe, that was before she was sorted," she reminded him, "And she ended up here and he ended up in Gryffindor. So obviously they aren't working together."

_You couldn't be more wrong,_ Megan thought with satisfaction as she let a smile hidden by the book cross her face.

"I don't know about that, Pansy," Daphne Greengrass stated, "I've heard from Professor Slughorn that Megan and Henry Gryffindor get along very well in potions. Maybe she could have passed information to Professor Gryffindor through his son."

Suddenly, Megan felt very sick. Pansy took a moment to think about this, and Megan felt the knot in her stomach loosen greatly when she saw Parkinson shake her head. "No, Professor Gryffindor wants to show us that he won't play favorites," she reasoned, "He wouldn't have accused me unless he had real proof. A second-hand accusation from his son wouldn't do it. Someone in Slytherin directly told him what we have been doing. I'm certain of that."

_At least someone is using their brain here besides me,_ Megan thought, still feeling a little tense, though.

"It has to be a first year," Pansy said to herself, "A first year who doesn't understand how things work here. I want all the first years in the common room right now."

It was an order, so those that surrounded Parkinson went off to gather the Slytherin first year students, who were scattered about the castle at the moment, but not in class. It took Crabbe and Goyle a few moments to figure out what to do, with the former leaving through the portrait with Daphne to find the Slytherin first years who were out and about while the latter went up to the first year boys' bedroom.

That left Pansy alone in the common room with Megan. And of all the seventh year Slytherin students, she was the one Megan was most afraid of. Megan knew that she had the brains to put all the scattered and hidden pieces together. The real question was if Pansy had found enough of those pieces yet to discover Megan as the saboteur. Megan didn't think she had, but she wouldn't give her anything to work with, either.

Pansy glanced at Megan twice and then slowly walked over and sat down in another green chair next to her. Megan had a good poker face, but decided to play it safe by continuing to hide it with her book.

"Defense Against the Dark Arts is a bit boring, don't you think?" Pansy opened the conversation.

"A little bit, yeah," Megan lied. It was actually the course she was best at and she enjoyed it a lot, but she understood that Pansy wanted to hear that she was interested in performing the Dark Arts themselves, not defending against them. "Gryffindor must be the worst teacher of the subject you've ever had," she said.

"No, Lockhart was completely incompetent," Pansy corrected, "Gryffindor isn't the worst teacher of the subject. I hate to admit it, but he knows what he is talking about and how to teach it well. He's actually one of the better teachers we've had in that position, now that I think about it. Next to Professor Umbridge and Professor Snape, of course."

Megan made a mental note to ask Geoff about those three names the next time they talked. Hidden in her room was a chart and a list of notes of every person she heard about in this world, drawing connections and seeing exactly what was going on. "Professor Slughorn is nice enough, though," Megan commented.

"Sure, if you're in his little club," Pansy stated disparagingly, "Then he latches onto you and your success, from what I understand."

"Nothing wrong with that," Megan replied nonchalantly, trying to show she had nothing to hide, "So what has gotten you so angry all of a sudden?"

"Someone in this house is snitching to Professor Gryffindor on us," Pansy informed.

At this, Megan put her book down quickly and looked at Pansy with a face of disbelief. "Are you serious?" she asked incredulously.

Pansy shrugged. "It's the only conclusion I can think of," she offered as support, "Unless you've seen someone from another house in here, that is."

Megan paused for a moment as if to think about that possibility, then shook her head. "No, I haven't seen anyone else in here," she replied, "Who do you think it is?"

Pansy shrugged again and shook her head. "I have no clue," she admitted, "But I'd bet it's one of the first years. Most of them don't understand how Slytherin House works yet, at least not how you and I understand it."

Megan nodded her head. Inside, she was filled with relief knowing that Pansy truly did not suspect her of any wrongdoing. "So why have you come to me if I'm not the one who told Professor Gryffindor?" she asked.

Pansy smiled a little. "Because you seem to be in close with all of our first year house mates," she answered, "I want you to convince the guilty one to confess. Otherwise, if I don't have a name, all the first years will suffer. And that includes you too, Megan."

Megan put on an appearance of shock when she heard this. "That doesn't seem fair, Pansy," she retorted.

Pansy smiled even wider, which made Megan feel even sicker than before. "Who said life was fair, Megan?" she asked rhetorically as the first years began to enter the common room.

Once all the first year Slytherins had returned, they were lined up against a wall, facing into the room and the seventh years there. Megan did not join her fellow first years, as she felt Pansy did not want her to. She was right on that point.

"Slytherin first years," Pansy began as she paced slowly down the line of them, "Yesterday morning, I was confronted by Professor Gryffindor about how I have been attempting to teach my fellow house mates the Killing Curse. And I know he only confronted me about it because someone in this house told him about it. I thought I was going to be expelled from Hogwarts because one of you snitched on a fellow Slytherin.

"Now, how do I know it was one of you first years? Well, that's simple to explain. You have only been here a week, and you're not quite sure how this house works. Well, now is a good time to show you what happens to traitors.

"Here's the deal. Either one of you is going to admit that you told Professor Gryffindor what we were doing in here, or all of you will suffer. I may not be able to use the Killing Curse yet, but I do know how to use the Cruciatus Curse." At this, there was a genuine look of fear on about half of the faces of the first year students. "And for those of you who don't know what that is yet," Pansy continued, "Let me just say that you don't want to know what it's like. So, for the sake of your fellow first years, whoever violated the privacy of this house should step forward and admit their fault. I assure you, even the person who did this will be better off if they come forward and confess than if they don't."

At this point, all the first year students started looking at each other. Megan knew exactly what was happening and stood up, planning to shut it down immediately. "No, no one accuse anyone else here in public," she stated, "We'll talk about this later in private. That's all."

And with that, the matter was closed. Pansy looked at Megan suspiciously as she saw Megan motion her to a more isolated area of Slytherin House.

"What are you up to, Blaire?" Pansy accused.

"Whoever told Professor Gryffindor made a mistake, but you can't seriously expect the guilty one to come forward in front of everyone, do you?" Megan inquired, "I know I'd never trust that person again."

"What exactly are you suggesting?" Pansy inquired.

"We'll take care of this privately," Megan explained, "We'll settle this with whoever told Professor Gryffindor without anyone else knowing who it is."

Pansy thought about this and decided that Megan had a point. "Alright, I'll go along with this," Pansy agreed, "But remember, if you can't get me a name, all of you will suffer. You have a month, Blaire. For your sake, you better not let me down." And with that, she turned and left the room they had been in.

Megan remained there for a little bit, processing what had just happened. _She doesn't suspect me, but she will punish me if I don't give her a suspect,_ she thought, _What do I do from here? Condemn an innocent student for what I did?_ She shook her head at this thought. _No, that's out of the question. Well, I have a month to think about this._ One thing was certain to Megan, though. She would have to talk to Geoff about all this.

--

Henry was leaving the Astronomy Tower with his fellow first years in Gryffindor and Ravenclaw in the very early morning hours of Thursday. At the moment, he was talking to Mohammad about the flying lessons they would have on Friday afternoon.

"I really want to play a sport while I'm here," Mohammad stated, "But it sounds like Quidditch isn't a very physical sport. Isn't there anything more physical at Hogwarts?"

Henry shook his head. "No, but Quidditch is plenty physical, trust me," he assured, "Once you start practicing, you'll see that's plenty true. And from what I understand, Slytherin always plays rough."

Mohammad chuckled at that notion. "Well, they're going to be in for a rude awakening when I give them a lesson on rough play," he retorted.

Henry chuckled, though there seemed to be something forced in Mohammad's mannerisms at this point. However, he decided that it wasn't worth pursuing at this time. Plus, he wanted to speak with his father about a few things. "You go on ahead, Mohammad," he said as he stopped walking, "I want to see my dad."

"Just don't get caught by that Filch character," Mohammad replied as he continued walking to Gryffindor Tower.

Henry found the nearest staircase and made his way down to the second floor where his father's office was (Professor Gryffindor had sleeping quarters in his office, as did most of the Hogwarts teachers). However, as he neared the office door, another figure that was about five feet tall came into view approaching the same door. Henry moved into a nearby shadow and waited for the figure to step into the light of one of the wall-mounted torches. When this occurred, Henry recognized the person immediately.

"Megan, what are you doing?" he asked as he came out of his hiding place.

Megan wasn't expecting Henry to be here. Before she handed in her Dark Arts homework in class yesterday, she wrote "midnight tomorrow" on the back of the parchment the homework had been written on, trying to tell Professor Gryffindor to be ready to meet her at that time in his office to discuss the Slytherin affairs. She didn't want to be seen talking to Geoffrey if she could help it. And while she was confident that she and Henry were alone in this section of the castle, she didn't want to take any chances.

"No, get away from me!" she half-shouted as she began running back down the corridor she had just walked down.

"Megan, wait!" Henry shouted as he ran after her, "What's wrong?"

"Leave me alone!" she cried out, hoping to force Henry away from her, "Just leave me alone!"

However, as Megan rounded the corner, she found that she and Henry had not been alone in that section of the castle. She yelped as she saw what seemed to be a grotesque, hunchbacked figure standing before her.

"What's all this ruckus, young lady?" Argus Filch asked tersely as he walked toward Megan.

Megan stood rooted to the spot she was standing. She wanted to run away, but she realized that she was in trouble now. Running would only make the problem worse. Besides, she had nowhere to run, as she heard Henry's footfalls coming closer as he continued to run down the corridor.

Filch obviously heard them too as he lifted the lantern in his right hand higher in the air and tried to look over Megan. He was about to speak out loudly when he decided against doing so and instead whispered to Megan, "Looks like I got two troublemakers tonight."

At that moment, Henry came into view from around the corner. "Megan, I . . . ," he began, but stopped when he saw Filch standing behind Megan.

At this point, Argus came to the worst possible conclusion immediately. "Henry Gryffindor, already chasing the little girls around the castle, are we?" he asked in a nasty way.

Henry shook his head and backed up slowly away from Filch. "No, it's nothing like that," he claimed with both hands out in front of him. _What is it with people assuming the worst around here?_ he wondered to himself.

"Oh yes, of course you say that," Filch replied, "Just wait until I hang you with those manacles."

At this point, Henry was utterly mortified. _Oh bloody hell, he has me now,_ he thought.

Meanwhile, Megan's mind was racing as well. While she would be hailed as a hero in Slytherin for getting a Gryffindor in more trouble than anyone had gotten into since Fred and George Weasley left Hogwarts. However, questions would start popping up after that. Exactly why was a Gryffindor chasing after her? And just what was she doing near Professor Gryffindor's office at that hour of the night? Pansy would add it all up and realize that she was being double-crossed. And the outcome of that was something Megan didn't want to think about. _Someone get me out of this, please,_ she pleaded to herself.

"What's going on out here?" a voice familiar to both Henry and Megan asked as another set of footfalls were heard, "Henry, is that you?"

"Dad!" Henry shouted with relief.

"Professor Gryffindor, I'm glad you showed up," Argus said as the newest addition to the Hogwarts faculty rounded the corner.

"Argus, just because a couple of students are out of bed just after Astronomy class is over doesn't mean they are up to trouble," Geoffrey chided the Hogwarts caretaker, "Megan here is no Fred or George Weasley and I know I raised Henry better than that."

"Obviously not good enough, Geoffrey," Filch corrected, "I'm pretty sure that your son was making . . . unwanted advances toward this girl."

Geoff immediately rounded on his son. "Henry, is Argus telling me the truth?" he asked.

"No!" Henry replied strongly, "I was coming down to see you, Father, and than I saw Megan here approaching your door. I called out to her and she just ran off."

"You're a liar, boy!" Filch roared, "I heard her crying out for you to stop chasing her! You two aren't even in the same house. What are you doing going after her, anyway?"

"Argus, please," Geoff said tersely, shutting down that line of thought, "If you are going to criticize my son for his selection of acquaintances, then you should torture me for my best friend being a Slytherin."

Filch put his hands in the air defensively. "I have nothing against you, Geoffrey," he clarified.

"Miss Blaire, Henry; come with me to my office," Geoff ordered, "Argus, I'll take care of this myself. And lets keep this incident between us."

Filch nodded in agreement. "I'll let you take care of your own house," he said as Geoff began to walk off with the two first year students. Filch was extremely confident that Geoff would do just that.

About a minute later, Geoff opened the door of his office and let Henry and Megan enter the room. He shut the door behind him and then turned to face his son. "Henry, explain yourself," he demanded, "What are you doing down here at this hour? You don't need to come down to this floor to return to Gryffindor Tower after Astronomy."

"I just wanted to talk to you about Quidditch tryouts, that's all," Henry claimed, "Headmistress McGonagall told us to talk to the Head of House if we had any questions."

"So she did," Geoff affirmed, "What do you wish to know about that?"

"Well, flying lessons are this Friday afternoon, right?" Henry asked.

Geoff nodded to his son. "Indeed they are," he confirmed, "And you'll be flying about with the first year Slytherins. Just remember to follow Madam Hooch's instructions and don't fly out too far. After that, if you want to try to play for the Gryffindor House Quidditch team, tryouts will be held two weeks after that."

"Thanks," Henry said in reply to all this. He would forward this information to Mohammad later.

Geoffrey then turned to look at Megan. "And Miss Blaire," he began, "First year Slytherins don't have a class this late on a Wednesday night. What are you doing out and about?"

There was something in Geoffrey's voice that told Megan that he got the message she tried to convey to him, that he knew the real reason why she was here. However, she didn't want to let Henry in on what was going on. She decided to use the easiest excuse in the book when it came to Slytherin, one that Henry would easily believe.

"They're just so mean," she began slowly with a tone of despair, "They're always talking about killing mudbloods and torturing blood traitors and the like. I just can't understand how some people can be so hateful. I just want to stand up and shout at them about how wrong they are, but I can't. They'd kill me if I did." By this point, tears were starting to flow from her eyes. And they weren't fake. Megan had always been good about bottling up her emotions, but she could make them rise to the surface if she needed them to.

"Megan, please, don't cry," Henry said in an attempt to cheer her up, "Not all Slytherins are bad. Just look at Professor Slughorn. It's not all bad being a Slytherin."

"That's easy for you to say," Megan retorted, still fighting through the tears, "You're in Gryffindor. You're surrounded by people who always do what's good and right and couldn't harm a fly even if they wanted to."

Geoff decided to shoot this one down and get Henry out of his office. "Megan, I was in Gryffindor when I was a student here," he explained, "And I know for a fact that not all Gryffindors are saints. At least one that I knew in Gryffindor has betrayed many people to their deaths, including students he went here with for a full seven years."

"You mean Pettigrew?" Henry inquired.

Geoff sighed upon hearing the name of the one whom he blamed the most for all that had happened to him. "Yes, I mean him," he replied, "You already know this story, Henry. I'd like to tell Megan here about it as well. Please go back to Gryffindor Tower and get some sleep."

"Yes sir," Henry answered, "See you in Potions, Megan." He then left the room, closing the door behind him.

Geoff offered Megan the nearest chair and he sat down behind his desk. "Your tears are real," he remarked, "You try not to show it, but all that talk in Slytherin really gets to you."

Megan was finally able to stop crying at this point. "I won't do that in front of the others in my house," she stated, trying to show Geoff that she wasn't weak and could be trusted.

"No need to prove yourself to me, Megan. I know how strong an individual you really are," Geoff assured her, "I got your message. I've been waiting for you to come. What do you need to tell me?"

"Pansy has started a search for the one who told you about what she was up to," she informed, "She is sure that it was a first year student, but she doesn't suspect me."

Geoff chuckled. "No, I think she looks at you as something of an apprentice," Geoff figured, "She knows this is her last year here, so she wants to make sure Slytherin is left in good hands. You're definitely the most intelligent first year Slytherin, so she definitely made a good choice."

Megan nodded. She had perceived the same thing. "The problem is that if no one comes forward to take responsibility for my actions within a month, all the first years are going to be punished with something called the Cruciatus Curse," she reported.

Geoff showed no change in demeanor upon hearing this. "I suspected that such a thing would happen," he admitted, "Do you think she was serious about this action?"

"I can only assume that she is going to follow through," Megan replied, "Pansy doesn't brag a lot, but from what I understand, she does back up everything she says. What should I do at this point?"

Geoff thought for a moment before answering. "I think I'll come up with something on this account," he said, "You just keep me aware of what's going on in Slytherin and we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Now, I believe I owe you that story about Peter Pettigrew."

"Can we talk about this Harry Potter first?" Megan requested, "I've been hearing a lot about him and I want to know why he's so important."

"Actually, I was planning on using Peter to segue into Harry," Geoff informed Megan, which obviously satisfied her, "Peter Pettigrew was at Hogwarts at the same time I was a student here, though he was three years ahead of me. He was sorted into Gryffindor, along with a number of my close friends. Among them were James Potter, Lily Evans, Remus Lupin, Sirius Black, Frank Longbottom, and Alice Prewett. James, Remus, Sirius, and Peter were especially close to each other and formed their own little band. It was as if you'd never see one of those four without the other three around somewhere."

"But you told Mr. Filch that your best friend was a Slytherin," Megan pointed out.

"Yes, that was so, and despite what has happened, still is true," Geoff answered carefully, "My best friend in Hogwarts was Severus Snape, who was sorted into Slytherin in the same year Peter, Remus, James, Sirius, and Lily were sorted. They were all three years ahead of me. I was also good friends with Sirius's younger brother, Regulus, who was two years ahead of me in Slytherin."

"What about Severus made him your best friend?" she inquired.

This was a question that Geoff had never come up with a good answer for. "To be honest, Megan, I still don't know," he replied, "We met on my first train ride to Hogwarts and from that point forward, we had a mutual respect going. Maybe he saw me as a ticket to finally fitting in at Hogwarts; he had always been a bit of a loner. Of course, James mocked me constantly for always hanging out with someone who wasn't just in a different year, but was also in Slytherin. But I didn't care about his opinion of my friendship with Severus, and I don't care what anyone else thinks about it."

Megan noticed that Geoff seemed quite defensive on this point. "What? Did he do something wrong?" she asked.

Again, Geoff had to hesitate on answering this. "He made a . . . lapse of judgement in his fifth year at Hogwarts, which was my second. You see, he grew up in the same neighborhood as Lily Evans had, and from what I've heard he always had a deep-felt love for her. But because of this one incident, he lost her forever, which drove him into being one of Voldemort's followers and ended up on the opposite side of the line from her."

"Did he kill her?" Megan inquired.

"No, he would never have done that," Geoff asserted strongly, "Voldemort killed Lily himself, although beforehand Severus begged him not to."

"What was this incident?" Megan questioned, "Did he slap her or something?"

"He accidently called her a mudblood," Geoff corrected, wincing at the painful memory, "I saw and heard everything. James had just humiliated Severus for what seemed like the thousandth time that week. Lily came to try to stop it all, but Severus lashed out at her and called her that. He lost the one he loved forever, all over a word."

"I can't blame her," Megan stated, "I'd be pretty upset if someone did that to me."

"I ended up getting unofficially ostracized from Gryffindor for a while after what I did in response to that," Geoff recalled, "The morning after the incident, when I arrived at breakfast, I saw James and his band with Lily at the Gryffindor table while Severus was all alone at the Slytherin table. You see, this incident occurred during the examination period, so there weren't as many people at breakfast. I approached the Gryffindor table and I stared at James, trying to make him feel guilty. I walked up next to where he was sitting and he asked me, 'If you got a problem with me, Geoffrey, just spit it out already.' And so I did just that. I spat in his face and sat down across from Severus at the Slytherin table."

Megan's jaw dropped upon hearing this. "You must have gotten into so much trouble for that," she commented.

"James didn't tell anyone," Geoff replied as he shook his head, "I wanted him to feel as embarrassed as he made Severus feel, and I think I succeeded. Lily and I had an argument later over what happened, but James never tried to get back at me. Though he never did stop bullying Severus until late in his seventh year, I think he got the message on that one. In any case, James and Lily ended up dating each other and got married late in my fifth year at Hogwarts, in 1979. James and I had patched up our differences by that point. And being on Voldemort's hit list kinda made him realize that he had to change his ways."

"So when does Harry Potter enter into this picture?" Megan asked.

"Harry was born on July 31, 1980, a little over a month after my sixth year ended," Geoff answered, "He was a splitting image of his father . . . well, except for his eyes. He has his mother's green eyes. It was actually the second new addition to my family of friends in as many days. Frank and Alice got married and Neville was born the day before Harry was. I believe you may have seen him around the castle a little."

"Gryffindor with a round face and light brown hair?" Megan guessed.

Geoff nodded. "That's the one," he affirmed.

Megan shrugged. "He doesn't seem to be the sharpest tool in the shed," she pointed out bluntly.

"Don't talk about my godson that way," Geoff warned, but not in a serious way, "He is quite the genius at Herbology. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes back and teaches it one day."

"So why is Harry Potter so important in all this?" Megan inquired, "And what does Peter have to do with it?"

This was the part of the story that had left a permanent scar on Geoff that he would never allow to heal. "You see," he began slowly, "The Potters had survived three attacks by Voldemort by the time they went into hiding in 1981, a few months after I left Hogwarts. I offered them a way out of Britain entirely, but they were adamant about staying here. So a spell was performed that hid their home as long as the Secret-Keeper didn't give up their location."

"Peter betrayed them," Megan concluded, "Didn't he?"

"Yes," Geoff confirmed quietly, "Just a week after they went into hiding, on Halloween night, 1981, Voldemort found and murdered James and Lily Potter. However, when he proceeded to kill Harry, the curse bounced back off Harry's forehead and hit Voldemort instead."

"Then how is he still alive if he was hit with his own curse?" Megan asked, now confused, "Or is the current Voldemort a fake?"

"Voldemort used the darkest of dark magic to split his soul into pieces before this happened," Geoff explained, "I won't tell you anything more about that, other than I am working on finding those pieces of his soul and destroying them. As for the reason why Voldemort tried to kill Harry, I will say that a prophesy of some kind was issued concerning a child born around the time he was who would be able to defeat the Dark Lord. Voldemort caught wind of this and concluded that Harry was who the prophesy meant. And that is the story of how Peter Pettigrew earned my eternal hatred and why Harry Potter is so important in all this. Anything else you want to ask me about?"

"Yes, a few things," Megan affirmed, "First, you never told me why Severus Snape is not teaching here anymore."

Geoff wanted so dearly to avoid this, but he figured that she wouldn't let it slip past her. "Several months ago, he killed Headmaster Dumbledore," Geoff admitted, "I don't know all the details, but on the surface he showed that he is a Death Eater. However, one thing I know is that you can never be sure of Severus Snape by his outward actions. He is still my friend, but that doesn't mean I support his actions. You see, Dumbledore was, if anything, a master strategist, and I cling to the belief that he planned his death at Severus's hands in order to make Voldemort believe that he was on his side."

"Alright, second question," Megan continued, "Who is Professor Umbridge?"

At this, Geoff wished he could have a bottle of the strongest liquor to drink in order to forget about this person completely. "She was appointed as the teacher of this subject in this school two years ago by the Ministry for Magic," Geoff answer after he had rolled his head and eyes to display his disgust for this woman, "Her first name is Dolores. What she was really here to do was to make sure that Dumbledore wasn't building up an army of students to overthrow the government. I don't know where Prime Minister Fudge got that idea from, but it cost us a year of time in which we could have been hunting down Voldemort's followers. If I saw her on the street, I would probably call her some very terrible names."

"And lastly, what about Professor Lockhart?" Megan asked.

Geoff finally had something good to laugh about, and he gave the heartiest laugh he had given in a long time. "Professor Lockhart, whoever came up with that idea needs to be examined for insanity," he commented as he was still laughing, "He was the teacher of this class five years ago. He was an author who wrote many books on how he had dealt with various dark creatures and spells, but he was a fraud. He was a total incompetent, but at least he looked good doing it, which is more than I can say for Umbridge. A spell he cast to wipe Harry Potter's memory backfired on him and he is now quite unaware of anything, really. Sad, but entertaining, I must admit."

Megan smiled as she nodded her head. "What about your other friends?" she asked, "Sirius, Alice, Frank, what of them?"

Geoff's smile disappeared immediately. "Except for Remus and Severus, they're all gone," Geoff replied darkly, showing this was a place he didn't want to go, "That's all you need to know about that."

Megan got the message. She stood up. "Then I guess that's all for now, Professor Gryffindor," she said, and for the first time noticed the owl sleeping in the large bird cage behind Geoff's desk. "By the way, that's a nice snow owl you have there," she complemented.

Geoff glanced back over his left shoulder. "Ah yes, Merlin," he said, "Well, he's been acting a bit strange lately. I guess he's pining for the fjords or something like that."

"Or maybe he's looking for a mate," Megan suggested from out of the blue.

Geoff thought for a moment about that. "Maybe, I'll have to see if that is the case," he replied, "If so, I think I know where I can go for help on that."

"Right then, I'll talk to you later," Megan said as she left the office, closing the door behind her, and made her way back to Slytherin house. She had a lot of new information to digest. And now more of the puzzle that was Geoffrey Gryffindor was starting to come together for her. From what she had discovered, Geoff had been the typical Gryffindor at Hogwarts; brave and righteous, but never crossing the line that separated good from evil. But now, he was a man who had crossed that line multiple times and thought little of it. Something had caused him to change, and Megan now figured it was losing so many of his friends.

_I wonder if I could handle such tragedies,_ Megan wondered to herself as she continued on her way.

Meanwhile, Geoffrey made a mental note to bring Merlin back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place in two weeks to meet Hedwig.

--

The following morning after breakfast, the first year Gryffindors and Slytherins were having their joint Potions class. As usual, Henry and Megan were sitting at the only joint house table with Mohammad and a Slytherin boy with blood red hair and green eyes who was usually a bit quiet. His name was Michael Piller, who seemed to be Megan's best friend inside Slytherin house. At the moment, they were working on a boil cure potion.

Henry looked up when he heard a loud hiss and splash from behind him. "Oh, bloody hell, what happened?" a Slytherin student shouted as he hurried to wipe the potion off from his shoes.

"Oh no, you were supposed to add the porcupine quills to the potion AFTER you took it off the fire, Terence!" Professor Slughorn half-shouted as he rushed over to stop the red boils on his feet from becoming too bad.

Henry stifled a chuckle at this, while Megan simply looked on in disgust. "These are very simple directions, how can you screw them up?" Megan asked herself quietly.

"Sometimes you just forget to read the whole thing, I suppose," Henry replied.

"It's not right of you to say those kinds of things about your own house mates, you know," Mohammad pointed out.

"Mind your own business," Michael said quietly. He may as well have shouted because that startled Mohammad greatly.

Megan took a deep breath. "No, he's right," she admitted reluctantly as she weighed crushed snake fangs on her scale, "He was doing okay, he just tried to rush."

"You can't do this too quickly," Henry said, "This is a very simple potion, but we're going to encounter much more complicated ones in the future. And if you skip a step, the results could be disastrous."

Megan nodded in agreement. She had already looked a little ahead in her Potions book and saw what Henry was talking about. However, she was looking forward to making a few of these potions.

"So, Megan, how are you feeling now?" Henry inquired, obviously referring to the incident earlier this morning.

"Better," she answered as she poured the snake fangs into her cauldron.

Michael looked up at this as if he were listening for something incriminating. Mohammad and Henry both noticed this. In fact, it seemed like all the first year Slytherins had been on edge about something for the past few days. Henry knew it had something to do with Pansy Parkinson, as she was still at the school for some strange reason. But Henry decided not to talk any more about this as he set his cauldron on the fire and looked back to his directions. Megan did the same a few seconds later. "How long do we keep this thing on the fire?" Henry asked. The directions didn't specify how long to wait before removing the cauldron from the fire.

"Lets just wait and see what it does," Megan replied as they waited and looked at the cauldrons. After a few minutes, the potion suddenly changed color to a sky blue.

Megan smiled when this happened. "Now we take it off the fire," she informed Henry as they removed their cauldrons and then added the porcupine quills to the cauldron. Henry stepped back from the table after this, but his cauldron did not melt. Henry signed with relief upon this.

"Come on now, you didn't think it would actually blow up in your face, did you?" Megan chided Henry playfully as she stirred the contents of her cauldron, "We followed the instructions to the letter."

Henry laughed as he stirred his cauldron's contents as well. "You can never be sure," he pointed out, "The ingredients we're using might have some impurities that can make the instructions completely meaningless or extremely dangerous."

"I would think that Professor Slughorn would take more care than that when getting these ingredients," Mohammad noted as he put his cauldron on the fire, "He's a very good teacher, I think."

"Well, what have we here?" the just-mentioned potions' teacher said as he walked over to the table and examined how the students were getting along, "Michael, if you want to keep up in this class, you'll have to work a little faster than that."

"Yes Professor," Michael replied as he started to work faster on his potion.

"Mr. Hazan, don't feel the need to rush, you're doing fine," Horace told Mohammad as he noticed his intense gaze on the cauldron.

"Thank you Professor Slughorn," Mohammad replied as he relaxed a bit.

Slughorn then turned to look at Megan, Henry, and their potions. "Ah, but here we have two good potions already made up by Mr. Gryffindor and Miss Blaire," he stated rather loudly to the classroom as he took a sample of the potion out of both cauldrons, "Lets see if they have done this correctly." He took the samples over to Terence, who had alarmingly large red boils popping out of his shoes now. Henry was slightly sickened by the sight.

"Don't worry Terence, you should have confidence in both Miss Blaire and Mr. Gryffindor," Slughorn assured the Slytherin student as he applied one sample to the boils on his right foot and applied the other sample to the ones on his left foot. After a short wait, the boils began to shrink and a huge smile crossed Slughorn's face.

"Make sure you see Madam Pomfrey about those boils as soon as you can, but you should be fine," Slughorn instructed Terence.

"Yes sir," Terence replied dejectedly as the professor continued to walk around the room, inspecting how students were coming along with the potion. The bell ending the class period rang about ten minutes later.

"Alright, for homework, I want an explanation of why adding the porcupine quills to this potion before you take it off the fire actually causes boils instead of curing them," Slughorn informed the students as he waved around his wand and cleaned up all the unfinished potions, "This will be very informative and will be a starting point as to how certain ingredients relate to each other and to heat. There is no minimum length as long as you can explain the process by which this can go horribly wrong, as we saw today."

As Megan and Henry were packing up their items to leave class, Professor Slughorn walked over to them and collected the potions that were in their cauldrons. "A job well done by both of you," he congratulated them as he put their cauldrons back on the table, "And let me welcome you both into my Slug Club. Henry, I believe you know what that is."

Henry nodded with a large smile on his face. "My father told me all about it," he replied.

"Yes, your father was a star student at Hogwarts, and one of my favorites," Horace pointed out, "In fact, I was so upset when he left the school that I left with him."

Henry and Slughorn both burst into laughter at this, while the gears in Megan's head starting to spin again. _Geoff left Hogwarts in June 1981, I think,_ she reasoned to herself, _And I seriously doubt this is the real reason Professor Slughorn left the school at that time. Maybe Voldemort had something to do with this._

"When's our first club party?" Henry inquired.

"Halloween, of course," Professor Slughorn replied, "So make sure you dress your best for that. If you have any other questions, I'll be happy to answer them."

Henry shook his head, indicating he had no other questions now. However, Megan did have one question relating to the Slug Club. "What will happen at this Halloween party?" she asked.

"Oh, you'll figure it out quickly enough," Horace answered, "Basically, you walk around, eat some food, and talk to other members of the club about things."

Megan nodded as she watched Henry leave the dungeon. She had another question to ask her Head of House. "Professor Slughorn, why did you really retire from teaching here?" she inquired.

Slughorn paused for a moment and pondered what to say at this point. "If you must know, Miss Blaire," he began, "I didn't want to be pressured into joining the Death Eaters at that time."

Megan nodded and walked toward the door of the dungeon with her bag.

"Oh, and Miss Blaire, don't be afraid to call Henry a friend just because he is in a different house," Slughorn called, "I know Miss Parkinson must be calling on you to distrust everyone outside of Slytherin, but I know that Geoff taught his children to be upstanding individuals."

_If only that was what Pansy was telling us,_ Megan thought wistfully. "Yes Professor," she replied as she left the dungeon.

--

On the next day's afternoon, on the second Friday in the Hogwarts school year, the first years of Gryffindor and Slytherin were walking to a grassy cliff overlooking the Forbidden Forest. The Gryffindors appeared a bit more excited by the whole affair, with Henry and Mohammad racing each other to the brooms. The Slytherins hung back a bit, still worried about what was going to happen to them, though Megan had reassured them all last night that everything would be fine. She had talked to all of them individually and heard the truth; none of them were the ones who betrayed Pansy. However, many were pinning the blame on others at random, which did not please Megan at all. She understood the Slytherin mind set, but she didn't like it. She would have to inculcate a culture of not accusing others without proof among her peers.

Meanwhile, Mohammad had beaten Henry easily to the top of the cliff. Within the next minute, the rest of the first year Gryffindors and Slytherins had joined them and Madam Hooch. In front of her, twenty brooms were lined up in two rows of ten on the ground, waiting for their riders.

"First year students, pay attention to me," Madam Hooch announced and then waited for all the students present to give her their undivided attention, "I am about to show you how to ride a broomstick. It is a fairly simple thing to do when you know what you're doing. Everyone, please select a broom. It doesn't matter which one you choose; this isn't a competition."

As Henry picked up his broom, he checked the old handle for what kind of broom it was. Upon seeing it, he dropped his jaw in disgust. "Shooting Stars?" he asked incredulously, "I know we're only first years, but give me a break!"

"What's wrong with them," Mohammad asked as he grabbed his broom, "Except for the fact that they look old?"

"Well, they are old, very old," Henry explained, "They made these back in 1955. And they really didn't hold up over time. These ones won't be fast at all."

"Mr. Gryffindor, please," Madam Hooch chided, "We aren't going to be playing Quidditch out here today. And I don't want you getting reckless with a faster broom."

"Besides, Gryffindor, we don't even know if you can use one of these correctly," one of the Slytherin boys commented nastily, "You'll probably fall off into the forest and break your neck."

"You take that back, you little . . . " Mohammad started to threaten the Slytherin as he took a step toward him before Henry and two Gryffindor girls restrained him from going any further.

At the same time, Megan turned toward the Slytherin who started this confrontation and glared at him. "If I were you, Will, I wouldn't provoke them again like that," she warned her house mate as everyone looked back at Madam Hooch, who was none too happy at the moment.

"If anyone here attempts to provoke another into violence, I will start docking house points," she warned, "Now, to start, you must mount your brooms." She then took her broom, an old Comet 180, and demonstrated the process. All the students did the same.

"Um, shouldn't we be sitting on the broom handle itself?" Mohammad inquired after he found he was sitting on an invisible cushion of air rather than the broom handle itself.

"No Mr. Hazan, we shouldn't," Madam Hooch explained, "That is the effect of the Cushioning Charm, created in 1820. Before then, wizards and witches did ride on broom handles. Not comfortable."

_No kidding,_ Megan thought with a smile, grateful that she wouldn't have to go through what Muggle cyclists called "saddle sores."

"And now, in order to start flying," Madam Hooch instructed, "You simply push off of the ground with your legs, like so." And with this, she squatted slightly, then pushed off the ground. Sure enough, she rose into the air on her broom and flew around gracefully for about 20 seconds before she landed on the ground again with a soft thud.

"And just come down slowly and land on your feet," Hooch concluded, "Now, lets see you all try, one at a time. Mr. Gryffindor, your father has always been a big Quidditch fan. Show them how it's done."

Henry nodded with a smile as he gave himself a huge push off the ground and rose about 30 feet in the air, his ascent slowing as he rose. It wasn't the first time he had flown on a broom, but the feeling was always exhilarating to rise through the air and achieve flight, something man was not supposed to achieve. However, that glee came to an abrupt end as Henry realized that he was actually falling slowly now toward the ground again. He had to turn around in order to avoid falling into the Forbidden Forest.

"Oh, what? Come on!" Henry shouted with frustration as he came back down to the ground again.

"I told you," Will remarked with a chuckle. Megan gave him a glare to shut him up.

Madam Hooch simply sighed. "I knew this would happen eventually," she remarked as she shook her head, "We'll have to get these brooms replaced. I've wanted to do this for years. Perhaps Headmistress McGonagall will agree to get us some reliable Tinderblasts."

But Mohammad wasn't ready to give up on this endeavor. He gave himself a huge push off the ground and rose quickly into the air. "Yeah!" he shouted with amazement as he rose through the air and started to fly around with more grace than his broken down broom should have allowed him to do. With a huge smile on his face, he went into a loop-de-loop maneuver.

Upon seeing this, Madam Hooch's eyes went wide with shock. "No, stop! Mr. Hazan, stop!" she cried, but he obviously didn't hear her.

"What's so dangerous about that?" Megan asked aloud. She figured that the loop would be perfectly circular.

"Brooms always fall faster than they climb," Henry answered simply, "Loop-de-loops are risky maneuvers even with Firebolts if you aren't high enough. Mohammad could nosedive right into the ground."

Megan and Henry watched as Mohammad climbed higher into the air. His climb stopped as he went completely upside-down. Looking down at the ground below, Mohammad could have decided to abort the maneuver and simply flip the broom over. Instead, he smiled as he pulled his broom handle again and began to dive toward the earth below. He felt a rush of adrenaline as the air rushed over his face and through his black hair. He watched as the ground came closer to him at a frightening rate. Mohammad remained calm and continued to pull up on the handle, confident that he would not hit the ground.

"He's too low," Henry said in a worried tone, "He needs to turn toward the Forbidden Forest. A professional Quidditch player I saw once needed more height then that, and he was using a Firebolt."

"Firebolt?" Megan inquired.

"The best broom there is," Henry explained as he turned toward Mohammad, "Mohammad, turn toward the forest now! You're not going to make it!"

But he would have none of it. He didn't need the extra room; he was determined to finish what he had started. As he came dangerously close to the ground, the broom finally started to lift and went parallel with the ground and leveled out with just three feet to spare. "Yes!" he shouted with a fist pump as he finally realized that he had pulled it off.

"Oh my goodness!" Henry shouted as he ran after Mohammad's broom, "Mohammad! That was amazing!"

Mohammad turned back and saw Henry. When he saw this, he slowed down and let his friend catch up to him. "This is the most incredible feeling I've ever had in my life!" he shouted, "Being a wizard is great!"

Henry smiled. "This is just the beginning, Mohammad," he replied, "Just the beginning!"

--

"Wow, I never thought I'd ever fly on a broom," Megan told Henry as they climbed a staircase inside the castle after dinner on that same Friday, "The feeling was just so . . . well, it's something I can't even put into words."

Henry smiled as the two continued on. "I understand what you mean," he replied, "You think you'll try to get onto the Slytherin house Quidditch team?"

"I'll try, but I doubt I'll make the team," she answered, "It seems like my house has an aversion to having girls playing on the Quidditch team. Plus I'm a first year. They're never allowed on the house teams."

"Those are going to have to change. If Slytherin wants to win the Quidditch Cup back from us, they're going to have to change some things. What worked ten years ago is not going to work now," Henry retorted.

_And how would you know what worked for Slytherin ten years ago?_ Megan asked herself, _Well, his father seems to be a big fan of Quidditch, so he probably grew up with this stuff._ "What about you?" she inquired, "Are you going to try to make the Gryffindor squad?"

"Yeah, but I know I'm not going to make the first team because we only have one spot to fill," he answered, "And I know Mohammad can ride any broom better than I can. I think he has a great shot of making the first team, but you almost never see first years on those squads. The last first year to play in a house match was Harry Potter for Gryffindor six years ago. And before him, no first year had played in a house match in more than a hundred years."

"So I guess the odds of either of us playing Quidditch this year are rather slim," Megan surmised.

"Well, first years are put on the reserve teams all the time," Henry corrected, "And they play matches against the other houses and practice. So that's where I'll probably end up this year."

Megan nodded and looked around. She was surprised to find herself on the seventh floor of the castle, next to the staircase that led to Gryffindor Tower. She sighed and said, "It's going to be a long walk back down to the Slytherin common room."

Henry chuckled as he and Megan walked up the stairs to the portrait of the Fat Lady. "Megan, you seem to be trying to distance yourself from me," Henry decided to say, "What's going on?"

Megan knew that this conversation couldn't be avoided forever. She thought carefully about how to answer this inquiry. "I know you don't care that I'm in Slytherin, and I don't care about you being in Gryffindor," she began, "But there are a lot of people in my house who keep threatening us about being too close to anyone in Gryffindor. And for now, I don't want to rub anyone in my house the wrong way. For now, I have to show that I am in agreement with current Slytherin culture."

That explanation satisfied Henry for now, though it disappointed him to know that Megan was suffering in Slytherin. "But we are still friends, right?" he asked her as they reached the portrait, "Invisible choir."

"Of course," Megan replied with a smile, "Lets just keep that hidden from everyone else in Slytherin for now." But Megan decided to have a little fun with her friend. "That was a very stupid thing you just did," she pointed out in an ominous monotone, "Giving me the password to your common room like that."

Henry needed a few moments to process these last words, but once he did, a look of horror filled his face. Megan saw it and laughed.

"I had you going there for a minute, Henry," she explained with difficulty, "You don't seem to have any trust in me after all."

Henry started chuckling in spite of himself. "It just felt so weird, just then," Henry admitted, "Like I had just visited the Twilight Zone or something."

"You watch that show?" Megan inquired.

Henry nodded as he stepped through the open portrait hole and gasped. "Ginny, are you okay?" Megan heard as she leaned through the hole in the wall to take a look at the situation.

Inside the Gryffindor common room, she saw Henry approaching Ginny Weasley, who was sitting in a chair next to the fireplace. Her face was in her open palms and Megan could hear that she was crying. She could also hear that Ginny was moaning the name "Harry" over and over again.

"Henry, I'm going to get your father," Megan told Henry as she ran back down the staircase.

"Megan, why . . . " Henry began to ask as he looked back at the closing portrait hole, but she was already gone. Henry turned back to Ginny and tried to comfort her unsuccessfully.

--

Geoffrey Gryffindor was reading some parchments in his office on the second floor when he heard a loud banging at his locked door. Upon being disturbed, he sighed. "Hang on, I'm coming," he called as he got up and walked over to the door. After he unlocked and opened it, he saw surprised to see Megan there. "Miss Blaire, what's going on?" he inquired.

Megan needed to catch her breath for a moment. Once she had done that, she answered, "Ginny Weasley needs help. And it's related to Harry Potter."

Geoff knew what was happening immediately and groaned. "Oh, bloody hell, why now?" he asked rhetorically, "Megan, unless you have other obligations at this time, go back to the Slytherin dormitories, please."

Megan nodded as Geoff closed his office door and began jogging down the hallway toward the staircase. Megan heard him mutter, "The young ones today, they don't understand what it means to sacrifice . . . ," but she couldn't hear anything more after that. She followed Geoff's orders and returned to her common room.

--

When Geoff reached the portrait of the Fat Lady, he gave her the password and entered the common room to find that Ginny was starting to yell at this point. She was also drawing a small crowd around her, including Geoff's son. "Ginny, please, calm down," Henry pleaded.

"Everyone, please leave the common room," Geoff ordered, "Let me talk to Miss Weasley in private."

The dozen or so students who had gathered around her obeyed their Head of House and went back to their rooms. Once this had happened, Geoff got down on his left knee in front of Ginny so that they were at the same eye level. "Ginny, listen to me," he began calmly, "I saw Harry last weekend. He's fine, trust me."

"Trust you?" she replied, her voice quivering with sorrow and anger, "You're the one who has taken him away from here, away from me. Harry should be here! You're the reason he's not!"

"Ginny, I haven't made Harry do anything against his will," Geoff retorted gently, "You knew he needed to go after Voldemort's Horcruxes. He told you as much at Dumbledore's funeral, from what he told me. He still wouldn't be here, even if I wasn't involved."

"Why did he have to leave me like that?" Ginny asked, more to herself than to Geoff, "Does he not love me?"

"Ginny, I can tell you that Harry misses you very much," Geoff assured, "But you have to understand that life can take us in directions we don't want to go. Harry doesn't want to be away from you, but he wants to protect you from the harm that he's facing. And right now, the safest place in all of Britain is Hogwarts. Harry wants you to stay here, where he knows you'll be safe."

"But isn't it safe at Grimmauld Place?" Ginny asked desperately, "He's staying there, and it's safe from attack, isn't it?"

"_... But you're so independent,_

_You just refuse to bend, so I keep bending 'till I break . . . "_

Geoff had to admit that Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place was secure unless he was terribly mistaken about where Severus's loyalties truly laid. But that was completely beside the point. "Ginny, there are things going on that you wouldn't understand," he explained, "And Harry doesn't want you getting involved in this. What he will have to do is very dangerous. But he will succeed. He must succeed."

Ginny was starting to understand that, once again, Professor Gryffindor was right. She understood that this was Harry's destiny to fulfill and that he wanted her to stay out of the line of fire. But she wasn't over her missing love yet.

Geoff finally decided to give in to her. "I underestimated your love for Harry," he admitted, "Ginny, I'm going to see Harry next weekend. If you write him a letter, I can deliver it to him personally."

At this, Ginny's face lit up and the tears ceased to flow. "You really mean that?" she asked.

"Absolutely," he replied unequivocally, "And if Harry wants to write back to you, I'll give you his letter when I get back."

Ginny nodded. She knew this was the best deal she was going to get.

"However, you cannot write anything about where Harry may or may not be or what he may or may not be doing," Geoffrey warned, "Do you understand?"

"Yes," she answered immediately with a vigorous nod.

"_... But you always find a way to keep me right here waiting._

_You always found the words to say to keep me right here waiting._

_And if you chose to walk away, I'd still be right here waiting._

_Searching for the things to say to keep you right here waiting . . . "_

Geoff smiled as he stood up again. "Good," he replied, "Now, you have some things you need to work on, like making sure your homework is done well so that you can play Quidditch and make sure that Headmistress McGonagall can hand me the Cup in May."

Ginerva smiled. "I'll get right on it, Professor Gryffindor," she answered as she stood up and left the common room.

It was a deal he had to make, but Geoff still wasn't happy about it. "No wonder we are such a weak people today," he muttered as he left the room and walked back down to his office, "Whatever happened to sacrifice? Whatever happened to strength of will? Whatever happened to all those virtues that allowed the generation that came before me to triumph over Grindelwald and Hitler? Lord Voldemort is nothing compared Grindelwald, but we allowed our vigilance to falter in the past fifty years. That is the only reason Voldemort ever became a threat to us." This muttering continued even after Geoff locked the door of his office from the inside again.

--

Author's Notes: There are actually a couple things I want to say about both this chapter and the previous one. I'll start with the previous chapter.

Voldemort's claim to Harry that he and Harry aren't very different from each other is actually very worthy of thought, as it is very true, I think. Both were orphaned when they were just infants and then raised in places where they didn't receive much love at all growing up. Both of them are half-blooded wizards who found their way to Hogwarts. And both are very intelligent and talented. However, something caused these two individuals, so similar in so many ways, to be mortal enemies. I don't know if Rowling meant to cause so many similarities between the hero and the villain, but considering that Rowling notes that Voldemort went after Harry instead of Neville (another boy who fit the prophesy of Voldemort's rival perfectly) because Harry was so similar to him, I think she did intend it.

Originally, I had Harry's tirade against Snape ending a little earlier than it did in the final version. I extended the tirade to give Snape a reason for lashing out, and that was the mentioning of Snape calling Lily a mudblood, which is undoubtably his worst memory. And it also allowed Snape to, correctly, tell Harry that he didn't understand him at all.

Snape saving Geoff's life will also be seen in Chapter 26, which I am working on right now. That chapter will also explain why Snape hasn't forgiven Geoff for what happened on the night of October 31, 1981.

And now for this chapter. I portrayed Pansy a little differently in this chapter from what I show her being in future chapters. Here, she's your typical Slytherin thug, which I decided to change between this chapter and her next appearence in Chapter 17. I'll explain this when we get there.

And yes, I decided to use the Severus and Lily thing from _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_ in this story. A lot of things just wouldn't make sense in the whole of the storyline without it.

And now, I have a chance to rant about the current state of humanity. Back in Chapter 12, Megan told Geoff that both of them believed the world has grown too soft to function as it needs to. And in this chapter, I show a manifestation of that trend; Ginny's unwillingness to sacrifice what she wants for the greater good. I will admit that doing things "for the greater good" can be used to justify absolutely horrible things. However, it is my belief that we, as a society, are not willing to sacrifice just a few of our modern comforts for the sake of, say, winning a war. Back in World War II, people accepted many sacrifices for the sake of winning the most terrible and important conflict in human history. I cannot see that happening today. Perhaps we shouldn't be expected to sacrifice in the face of an enemy who hide in caves and use outdated weapons and tactics, but now I see people claiming that 2,000 deaths is too many to lose in a conflict and I get really upset. Using that logic, we would have stopped fighting the Nazis after a single week, if that.

Sorry about the rant, but I just need to put it out there. And until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	16. 15: The Army of the Living Dead

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all the readers out there last week, who have boosted the total number of hits on this story to over 7,000 (okay, it was at 6,999 when I posted this chapter, so first person who reads this is hit #7,000). And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Geoff may be a tough man, but he isn't a cruel man. And we'll get to the Pansy situation laster. Thanks for the support.

Pacificuser (from _The Legend of Zelda: Land of My Dreams_): Thanks for your support.

Okay, there were actually two references to Monty Python last week, both coming from the same sketch. The first was when Geoff guessed that his snowy owl, Merlin, was "pinin' for the fjords." The second was the Gryffindor password, "Invisible choir." Both of these come from the same, memorable Monty Python sketch. From the eigth episode of the series, they come from the "Dead Parrot Sketch," made famous by John Cleese and Michael Palin.

Well, now for a bit of a change of pace.

**Chapter 15: The Army of the Living Dead**

_My Dearest Ginny,_

_I got your letter from Geoff and heard about what happened last Friday. I want to tell you, first of all, that I really miss you as well._

Harry was working on a reply to Ginny's letter when he saw Geoffrey and Gary approaching him from the staircase. He decided to put his letter aside for now, since he could tell that something big was going to be going down soon for the past few days.

"Harry, Voldemort has three Horcruxes left intact," Geoff began, "Today, we are going to reduce it to two."

Inside, Harry was both excited and worried at the same time. He was excited because once he found the Horcrux in question, he'd be that much closer to returning to some kind of a normal life. And he had Ginny waiting for him when it all was said and done. But he remembered the kind of security that Voldemort had put around the locket. The remaining Horcruxes were likely to be as well defended, if not better. And he wasn't looking forward to breaking those defenses. But he realized that he didn't really have a choice in the matter.

"Which Horcrux will it be?" Harry inquired as he stood up.

"We're going to stick close to home for this one," Geoff replied, "The orphanage that Voldemort grew up in is today's target."

"Harry, you and I will enter the orphanage, recover the Horcrux inside, and then get the bloody hell out of there," Gary informed as he and Harry began going over a plan of action. "That's the big picture. Here are the details."

--

Harry had apparated to a location near Vauxhall Road about two hours later. It was a back alley, and no one saw him appear. He also didn't look like Harry Potter now. Instead, he appeared to be a little bit shorter than he usually was and was dressed in the uniform of a Muggle building inspector, complete with an orange safety helmet for dealing with dangerous buildings. Geoff had given Harry a Polyjuice Potion with the local Muggle building inspector's hair in it. Geoff had also charmed the inspector into having a major headache today, meaning that he wouldn't show up with Harry in the same area and cause any trouble that the Ministry would almost certainly pick up on, which would lead to Voldemort learning what Harry was up to. Gary said that if everything went as planned, this operation would take no more than an hour. And he had an extra dose of the potion with him in case they did run into trouble. The goal was to make sure Harry was not seen out in the open as Harry Potter, and he soon saw why as he came out into the open, as there were several people wearing black robes with hoods.

_They're looking for me,_ Harry realized, _Just act like nothing is unusual and don't talk to them._ He continued walking toward the orphanage, and finally found Gary waiting by his car, which was parked on the edge of the street, about a block away from the orphanage.

"Daniel, you made it," Harry called out, using the name Gary had given himself for this mission.

"Good to see you too, Mark," Gary called back, using the sick building inspector's name to refer to Harry, "Is the building near here?"

"Just a block away," Harry replied as he led the way to the orphanage.

Unlike his brother, who was a well-known figure among Death Eaters, Gary Gryffindor was practically unknown among their ranks. And it was this lack of a profile that allowed Gary to walk around without the need for a disguise, since he looked sufficiently different from his brother so that he would not be mistaken for him. And so he was walking around wearing a long, black trench coat without worrying about the few black hooded figures that were moving around the area.

Harry had a funny feeling that he knew who these hooded figures were. "The ones in the black robes and hoods," he remarked quietly to Gary as they walked across the street to the orphanage, "They're Death Eaters, aren't they?"

"Assume that everyone is," was all Gary replied with, "You will have to speak with the man standing in front of the door there. His name is Nathan."

"Mark" nodded as he arrived at the front of the orphanage and shook Nathan's hand. "Good afternoon, Nathan," Harry greeted.

"Good afternoon, Mark," Nathan replied as the handshake ended and looked at "Daniel," "You have someone who wants to look at the building here?"

"Yeah, this is Daniel," Harry affirmed as he gestured back to Gary, who was now shaking Nathan's hand, "He is a representative of a company that's interested in doing the demolition work on this property."

"I thought that contract was already wrapped up, but I suppose if you got the proper paperwork, you can show him around the place," Nathan mused.

Harry nodded as he pulled a yellow sheet of paper from his pocket and handed it to Nathan, who looked at it for a little more than a minute. Nodding his head, he handed it back to Harry. "Alright, everything appears to be in order here. Just be careful in there. This building is old," he warned.

"Right," Harry replied as he and Gary walked into the orphanage and had the door closed behind them. Harry looked around and saw that they were alone. This being the case, Harry pulled his wand out of another pocket in his clothing.

"Harry, put up a magic-hiding barrier over this building," Gary ordered, "Than a sound-blocking barrier. I want this operation to go undisturbed as much as possible."

Harry nodded, "_Protego totalum_," he said as he pointed his wand at the walls around him and turned a full circle, causing the spell on the entire building. He then repeated the process with the _Muffliato_ spell, thus preventing any sounds from inside the building from going outside.

"Alright, we're hidden from detection, at least until we leave," Harry informed.

"Right, time to start looking for a Horcrux," Gary remarked as he reached into his coat and pulled out his M-16 assault rifle. It was the first time Harry had seen it since the locket Horcrux was destroyed, but now it had an M-203 grenade launcher attached underneath the barrel of the rifle. "Can you feel the presence of a Horcrux?" he inquired as he checked to see that both the rifle and the grenade launcher were loaded correctly.

Harry closed his eyes and tried to remember how he felt when the locket was within his sight. He remembered the foreboding feeling that came over him and then attempted to see if this place had a similar feeling. "It's here," Harry affirmed after about a minute, "But it's very faint."

"Lets try to get closer to it," Gary ordered as he followed Harry, "Try to follow the path that makes the presence stronger, Harry."

Harry nodded as he moved slowly into the building, the sense of foreboding he was looking for becoming stronger as he went along. As he passed a certain point on the ground floor, he realized that the feeling was starting to wane. He looked around, but there were no items around him.

"It must be on a different floor," Harry surmised.

"Lets move upstairs," Gary ordered as Harry led the way up the nearby staircase. Indeed, the feeling was stronger now. They climbed the stone stairs to the second landing. At this point, Harry no longer needed to search for where the Horcrux was.

"I've been here before," he explained to Gary, "Dumbledore brought me here through his memories. He recruited Tom Riddle to Hogwarts. Riddle's room was on this floor."

"Which one?" Gary inquired.

Harry went back through his memory of Dumbledore's first meeting with the man who would become Lord Voldemort. "It's the first door in a long corridor off the second landing," Harry remembered.

Gary immediately looked down the long corridor and found the first door. He aimed his rifle at the door, staring at it intently, almost as if expecting something terrible to attack himself and Harry from it. "I'll take the lead," he said as he moved to the door and tapped the door handle briefly. Satisfied that the door wasn't trapped, he gripped the doorknob tightly with his left hand. Slowly, he turned the doorknob until it would turn no further. At this point, he pushed the door open quickly and returned his left hand to supporting his gun. He took one step into the room and quickly scanned its interior, checking for threats inside. He was putting himself at risk for Harry's sake, and Harry couldn't help but be embarrassed that he always got some kind of preferential treatment.

"Clear," Gary announced after several seconds, "Anything in here look familiar, Harry?"

Harry walked into the room and he was suddenly back in a place he hadn't been comfortable with when Dumbledore was with him. Here it was, all over again. Ahead of him, Harry saw the iron bedstead, the gray blankets still there, though their color had dulled with time. He looked to his side and saw the old wardrobe, though now it seemed that the ravages of time were starting to take their toll. The hinges of the wardrobe were now very rusty and Harry doubted if he could simply swing the doors open. He figured he'd have to break them off entirely. "It hasn't changed at all," he remarked as he looked around at the room where such evil ambition was born so many years ago, "It's eerie."

"I can only imagine," Gary replied, continuing to hold his rifle at the ready, "What was that meeting between Dumbledore and Voldemort like?"

Harry did not want to dwell on this topic, but didn't want to disappoint Gary. "You could already tell he was going down the wrong road," he answered, "His mother had just lost the will to live by the time he was born. He made another boy's rabbit hang himself once."

"You don't say," Gary replied, "That's not a good sign."

"And he just intimidated the other kids," Harry continued, "He talked about hurting them and even stole from them. He already had his magic powers under a good amount of control. Dumbledore said he was going to keep a good watch over him, but it obviously wasn't enough."

"I know I didn't see all that you saw," Gary began as he relaxed his arms and let his rifle drop to his side, "But from what you're telling me, I might just have killed the kid before he grew into a monster. If the Horcrux is in here, this is way too easy. Where are the traps? Where are the dark arts?"

"Are you complaining about that?" Harry inquired.

"No, I'm just saying it should be better defended than this," Gary clarified, "I'm not complaining about it, but this is just way too easy if a Horcrux is actually here. It is here, isn't it?"

Harry could feel that sense of foreboding, and this time it was a very strong feeling. "Yeah, it's here," Harry affirmed as he began moving around the room, "There aren't many hiding places here for it, though. Maybe it's hidden inside one of the walls."

"If that's the case, we may be here for a while," Gary commented.

As Harry moved farther into the room, he realized that the feeling he was getting from the Horcrux was actually getting fainter, not stronger. He turned around and walked slowly back to the entrance of the room and it got stronger again, but it started to fade once he walked past the wardrobe. Harry noticed this and walked up to the wardrobe itself. Indeed, the foreboding feeling he had was now stronger than ever.

"It must be in here," he called as he attempted to open the wardrobe doors.

"No, don't!" Gary warned as he pushed Harry away from the doors, "It must be trapped. I'll get it open."

"We may have to break the hinges off," Harry pointed out, "They're quite rusty."

"Nothing a good tug can't accomplish," Gary replied as he pulled a small length of rope from his coat pocket and tied one end around the handle of the right door of the wardrobe. He walked as far away and to the wardrobe's side as he could with the length of rope and waved Harry over to stand behind him. Once he did so, Gary took a deep breath and gave the rope a strong tug.

Indeed, the hinges were too rusty. Instead of opening, Gary ended up causing both hinges on the door to break apart and the door itself flew past Gary and hit the wall behind him. He glanced at the door as it flew by him, then quickly looked back at the wardrobe again.

"Nothing," he stated, perplexed by this turn of events, "Maybe the other door is trapped." He then repeated the entire process with the left door. And the exact same results ensued. The door of the wardrobe flew to the wall behind them, but nothing inside the wardrobe blew up. No creatures appeared, no alarms went off.

"Now I'm starting to agree with you," Harry commented as Gary walked in front of the now open wardrobe, "This is way too easy."

Gary waved the barrel of his rifle around inside the wardrobe, testing for any other traps, but found none. He shook his head as Harry walked over to him. "Something's wrong here," Gary said, "I don't like this."

Harry looked inside the wardrobe and found only one thing inside. It was a small cardboard box on the top shelf of the wardrobe. "That box," Harry remarked, "Riddle kept the items he took from the other children in it. They were his trophies. But Dumbledore made him return what he had taken."

"Looks like theft is a tough habit for him to break," Gary replied, his hands tight on his rifle, "You think the Horcrux is in that box?"

"It has to be," Harry realized as he pulled the box down from the shelf. He and Gary walked over to the bed and Harry placed the box down and opened its top. Inside, there was only one item. And both men realized what it was immediately.

"Hufflepuff's Cup," Harry whispered as he removed the small, gold cup with two finely wrought handles from the box and felt a wave of dread wash over him as he touched it, "This is it. He murdered Hepzibah Smith for this cup, and was able to place the blame on her House Elf. That was shortly after he left Hogwarts."

"Is it a Horcrux?" Gary asked intently.

"Yes, it is," Harry replied immediately as he gave the item to Gary to hide while they left the house. Harry then checked his wristwatch for the time. "We've got 13 minutes until the Polyjuice Potion wears off," he informed Gary.

"Plenty of time," Gary assured.

Suddenly, a dark vortex appeared in front of the door that was the only way out of the room. Harry saw it first. "What the bloody hell is that?" he asked loudly.

Gary looked back and immediately pushed Harry into the far corner of the room upon seeing the vortex. "Damn! I knew it was too easy!" he shouted as he aimed his rifle at the vortex, "It's a portal! Something's coming through!"

Just seconds later, a creature that Harry recognized as a river troll appeared from the portal. The beast was tall enough to nearly break through the ceiling. He was carrying a wooden club that was smaller than those that Harry had seen other trolls carrying, but would probably serve him better in this cramped space. He roared as he saw the two thieves and turned toward them.

"Mother of God!" Gary shouted as he aimed a little higher than normal and moved his right hand forward to the trigger on the grenade launcher. Knowing that if the troll were too close to that the grenade explosion would probably kill both of them instead of the troll, Gary pulled the trigger immediately.

The launcher gave a loud _dum_ sound as it launched the explosive round from its chamber. The M-203 grenade launcher was accurate to a point target out to 492 feet, so Gary had no problem hitting a troll from about 12 feet away. However, if this were a Muggle weapon, the grenade's blast radius would probably kill Gary, and perhaps Harry as well, from that close of a range. However, one of the magical enhancements that Gary was able to do to the grenade rounds he had was that their blast radii were greatly reduced so that it was safe to firm them as close as ten feet away without worry. The grenade struck the troll only a fraction of a second after it was fired and hit him square in the chest. The explosion was deafening to everyone inside the room and caused the troll to back up into the wall behind him in order to recover from the blast.

"Harry! Keep him from moving toward us!" Gary shouted as he moved the slide on the launcher forward, automatically ejecting the spent 40mm round.

Harry moved in front of Gary and saw that the troll was beginning to recover from this first blast and was getting ready to move toward them again. "_Expulso!_" he shouted as he pointed at the troll with his wand. A red trail went out from the tip of his wand and struck the troll in his left shoulder. A small explosion erupted from that part of the troll's body, but all it did was stop the troll's forward movement for a half-second. River trolls were extremely tough creatures to kill.

"_Expulso!_" Harry yelled again. This explosion hit the troll on his right hip, but was smaller than the first one, and it only stopped the troll for a brief moment.

But as Harry heard another loud _dum_, he knew that was all he needed to do. Gary's second grenade hit the troll in the upper chest. The explosion forced the troll back against the wall again, but did not seem to damage it at all.

"Damn! I missed!" Gary howled as he ejected the second round from the launcher, "Aim for the head!"

Harry complied. "_Expulso!_" he yelled as he aimed his wand at the head of the troll, who was now starting to move toward the two again. This explosion was the smallest yet; it had no more force than five firecrackers going off at once. However, Harry saw what Gary meant by saying aim at the head. It was the only unarmored portion of the troll's body. The explosion hit the troll near his left eye, which caused him to reel slightly from the blow. However, Harry knew that he couldn't fire another exploding spell at the troll; the law of diminishing returns had taken full effect by this point and Harry knew it.

As Harry searched his mind for another spell that would slow down the troll, Gary relieved him of the search with his third grenade. This time, the grenade struck the troll right in the head, which disappeared in a cloud of skin, bone, blood, and brain with the grenade's explosion. The troll's headless body took one last step, then fell forward and stopped moving.

Both Harry and Gary were breathing heavily as the stood where they were for a few more seconds. Finally, Gary stood up straight and began loading another grenade round into his launcher. "That was still too easy," he remarked as the third grenade round dropped to the floor and he reached into his coat for a fourth.

"Will you please stop saying that?" Harry pleaded as he stood up and brushed off his clothes, "It's like you want more things like that to happen to us."

"I don't, trust me," Gary assured as he walked toward the door of the bedroom, "We got what we came for; lets get out of HERE!" The last word came out as a shout of panic and was accompanied by the sound of Gary's M-16 being fired.

Harry ran over to the door to see what had happened and didn't like what he saw. "Inferi!" he shouted as he saw at least a dozen of the reanimated corpses shambling toward him. Some were missing an arm and most had no head, but they seemed to be able to sense the presence of the living and seemed to barely notice the bullets that were cutting through multiple bodies, sending flesh and bone flying everywhere.

"The bullets aren't working!" Harry shouted at Gary.

"I can see that!" Gary replied, not bothering looking at Harry while he kept shooting, "But I only got two grenades left, and I have a feeling that there are more of these things downstairs waiting for us. Use some fire spells or something! We need to get through these things!"

Harry nodded as he moved out into the hallway and aimed his wand at the closest inferus. "_Incendio!_" he shouted as a red line shot out of his wand and hit the target, causing the body to immediately catch fire. The inferus took another few steps toward Gary, and then fell to the ground and stopped moving after a couple of spasms. But there were still more coming at them.

Harry let a second fire spell fly while Gary stopped shooting to reload his rifle, which had exhausted its first 30-round magazine. "We can't just stand here and kill them all," Gary pointed out as he finished loading the new magazine, "And we can't go out the front door, or else someone is going to see what's going on. There's no one at the back door, though. We'll get out that way." Gary then took the cup out of his coat and tossed it to Harry. "Just make sure you get out of here, Harry!" he shouted as he went back to shooting, "Get down the staircase and get out the back door!"

"Okay!" Harry shouted as he fired another spell at the inferi while Gary tore through another magazine. Once those 30 rounds were all used up, Gary ran forward into the closest inferus and gave it a huge hit with his right shoulder. The inferus went flying backward into two others behind it, knocking all three out of commission temporarily.

"GO!" Gary bellowed as he used the butt of his rifle to knock another inferus to the ground. Meanwhile, Harry ran past him and the remaining inferi and onto the staircase. As he was running down, however, he suddenly saw another large group of inferi, at least two dozen that Harry could see, waiting on the ground floor.

"Gary! We're trapped!" Harry called out as he aimed his wand at the group of inferi on the ground floor, "_Flagratius!_"

An orange jet flew out to a body in the middle of the group at the bottom of the stairs. This caused the inferi to start coming up toward Harry, but the Flagrante Curse cast on the inferus caused a small explosion to be emitted from it, causing about six or seven of the bodies to go up in flames immediately.

Gary moved down the stairs quickly to where Harry was standing. "Get down!" he ordered. Harry complied immediately and Gary fired a grenade into the middle of the group of inferi at the bottom of the staircase.

The explosion caused all the inferi within ten feet of it to go flying in all directions and caused some to lose multiple limbs. Harry didn't need to be told what to do at this point. He ran down the stairs in order to take advantage of the momentary lull in the enemy presence. Gary followed closely behind him, reloading the grenade launcher with his final round.

"Just keep moving ahead," Gary ordered, "Don't stop until you reach that back door! If something gets in your way, just shove it away from you."

"Right!" Harry shouted back as they reached the bottom of the stairs and turned toward the back of the orphanage. Harry had seen where the back door was when he was here in Dumbledore's memory, but he couldn't see it. The reason was that at least another three dozen inferi now stood between the two men and freedom. They began shuffling toward Harry slowly, while those who could were now recovering around them.

Gary quickly aimed and fired his last grenade ahead of him, scattering enough bodies for Harry to just make out the back door now. He starting running without being told to by Gary, but slowed down when he realized Gary wasn't running with him. He glanced back at the younger Gryffindor brother.

"What are you waiting for!?" Gary bellowed as he took aim at the inferi that were still standing, "Go! I'll get through once you make it through!"

Harry nodded quickly as he looked back toward the door. He started running again, but now the path that was clear was blocked by a lone inferus. Remembering what Gary had told him, Harry lowered his right shoulder and hit the animated corpse right in the chest, causing the body to fly back a few feet and fall on its back. The way clear, Harry reached the back door and waited.

Gary finished off his current magazine and started running to Harry's position. He almost got through the inferi in his way when he was grabbed from behind, where he could not attack the corpse.

"Oh! Bloody hell!" Gary bellowed as he tried to wrench himself free of the inferus's grasp, but he knew it was no use. He was a dead man.

Harry knew that Gary would have ordered him to leave the house and to return to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place without him. And Harry knew that Geoff would understand why he had lost his brother. But Harry wasn't going to do that. _Too many people have already died for me,_ he reasoned to himself, _I'm not letting Gary do the same._

Harry aimed carefully at the inferus who had grabbed Gary, which was now in Harry's field of vision. "_Flagrante!_" he shouted.

The jet of fire struck the inferus, but it spread quickly. Gary was able to throw the body off of his back, but his coat had caught fire. As he continued running toward the door, he tried to use his hands to pat the fires out of existence with little success, as the air rushing over them from his running fanned them. When he reached the door, he used the wall next to it to smother the fires before they could do any real damage.

"Come on, lets get out of here!" he commented to Harry.

"Put your gun away," Harry ordered. Gary was still holding his rifle in his right hand.

"Put your wand away," Gary retorted as he clipped his rifle to the inside of his coat, hiding it from view.

Harry slipped his wand into a pocket and checked his watch again. They were running out of time.

"Close the door behind us immediately once we exit the house," Gary said.

Harry opened the door and left the orphanage, breaking the spells that had been cast over it. Gary left as well, and then Harry shut the door behind them. As he did this, a police officer who was about as tall as Harry usually was saw him slam the door. Since this seemed a bit suspicious, the officer walked over to the two men.

"What's all this then?" the officer inquired.

_Oh no, not this,_ Harry thought, _We don't have time for this._

"Officer, I was just taking Daniel here through this building," Harry answered the officer's inquiry, "He represents a company interested in demolishing this orphanage."

"Do you have a work order for that?" the officer asked.

Harry sighed, feigning annoyance at being disrupted from his regular routine. "Of course I do," he replied as he reached into his pocket and pulled out the yellow sheet of paper from his pocket and gave it to the police officer. As he looked at it, Gary glanced at his pocket watch and grimaced. Their first hour was almost up.

The officer handed the paper back to Harry. "Seems to be in order," he concluded, "You just looked a bit suspicious leaving that building as you did. It thought you may have committed burglary."

_Well, we just did, actually,_ Harry thought to himself with slight amusement.

"Sorry officer," Gary apologized, "But I thought for a moment there that the building was about to come down on top of us."

The policeman nodded as he glanced up at the orphanage. "This orphanage has been around for a long, long time, you know," he remarked, "As long as I've been alive, at least. It's sad, really, that we need such a place when parents start having children that they have no means to take care of."

Harry nodded in response. "Sure is depressing, officer," he agreed.

"Well, sorry to disturb you, gentlemen," the officer apologized, "Have a nice day, if you can." He glanced up to the cloudy sky. "It seems like it has been forever since I last saw the sun," he finished as he walked off.

"Drink it, now!" Gary whispered to Harry.

Harry was already two steps ahead of him. He had already uncorked the vial of Polyjuice Potion he was carrying around in his pocket and drank it in one quick gulp, then put the vial back in his pocket. The entire process took six seconds to complete and guaranteed that Harry's cover would not be blown.

"That was close," Harry remarked.

"We need to speak to the man at the front door again," Gary reminded.

Harry nodded as he and Gary walked around to the front of the orphanage. Nathan was surprised to see them outside the orphanage without using the front door again. "Mark, how did you get back outside?" he asked Harry.

"Used the back door," Harry replied.

Nathan nodded. "We need to get someone to watch that thing," he commented, "So, is your friend's company going to submit a bid?"

"We'll have to wait and see about that," Gary answered, "This is one of several possible projects our company is looking at right now. I'll give my analysis on this building to my supervisor."

"Excellent," Nathan replied, "Well, good day to you both."

"Likewise," Harry responded. He and Gary then walked away from the orphanage toward where Gary had parked his car earlier.

"What you did back there was reckless," Gary remarked, "You should have left me behind. Thanks."

Harry smiled. "I don't want anyone else to die for my sake," he explained, "I've already lost count of all those who have. My parents, Sirius, Dumbledore . . . no more."

"Excuse me," a cold voice asked from behind them after they had crossed the street, "May I have a word with you?"

The both of them turned and saw a man wearing a black robe. He was also wearing a black hood, which hid his face from view. Harry knew this man had to be a Death Eater.

"You wished to speak with us, sir?" Gary asked innocently.

The hooded man gazed at Gary for a moment. "I'm sorry, I mistook you for someone else," the man explained, "My mistake."

"That's quite alright," Gary assured, "It can happen to anyone."

"Yes," the man agreed, "Sorry to bother you." He then turned and walked away.

"He had to be a Death Eater," Harry commented quietly as they got back on their way again.

"He must have mistaken me for my brother," Gary concluded, "Probably wanted the glory of being the one who destroyed the infamous Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor. That fool, my brother would have killed him before he could have . . . oh, come on!"

Harry looked and saw that the same police officer from before was now writing a violation ticket for the car he was standing next to, which was Gary's car. "You can't be serious," he remarked with a smile, "Daniel, you illegally parked."

The officer glanced up at the voices. He smiled upon seeing them. "Gentlemen, good to meet you again," he greeted as he walked up to the two, "I am assuming this automobile belongs to at least one of you."

"I'm not illegally parked!" Gary claimed incredulously, "There's no sign here!"

"You're next to a fire hydrant," the officer pointed out.

Gary looked at the hydrant in question. "I haven't obstructed access to it!" he replied, "Look! You can walk between the cars here to get to it." He demonstrated as much.

"Daniel, I'm sorry, but you'll have to deal with this on your own," Harry remarked to Gary, "I need to get back to my office."

Harry walked away to the back alley where he had apparated to at the start of this mission. Once there, he apparated back to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place.

--

About a half hour later, Gary entered Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place through the front door and walked downstairs into the dining room. Geoff and Harry, who was now wearing his regular wizard robes though he had yet to revert to his usual self, were waiting for him. Hufflepuff's cup was standing on the table in front of Harry.

"Geoff, be a good brother and loan me two Galleons, please?" Gary requested.

Geoff and Harry laughed. "Couldn't get out of that parking ticket, could you?" Geoff asked with a smile as he reached into his pocket and pulled out two gold coins. "Don't bother paying me back those ten pounds, Gary," he informed his brother as he tossed the coins to his brother, who snatched them out of the air.

"Well, now that you're back Gary, we can celebrate this successful mission properly," Geoff remarked as he stood up and pulled out three bottles of beer from behind a counter, "Your favorite kind of beer for a job well done. But first, Harry, please destroy that abominable Horcrux for us."

Harry nodded as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at the cup which had gotten Hepzibah Smith killed and her House Elf wrongly punished for Voldemort's actions. He took a deep breath before he finally said, "_Avada Kedavra._"

A flash of green light came out of the tip of Harry's wand and struck the cup. A chilling scream came from the cup, then was silenced. Once the scream ended, one of the handles of the cup fell off of it and clattered onto the table.

"Four down, two to go," Gary remarked as he walked over to his brother, "That was not fun, though."

"Harry told me everything," Geoff assured, "Let me put it this way, Gary. You won't have to go after the next Horcrux when we find it. Instead, you can resume your search for Greyback."

Gary game Geoff a small grin. "Sounds good to me," he replied as he took a beer out of his brother's hand, "Now, lets toast."

"Harry, come on and grab your drink," Geoff called.

"But I'm underage," Harry responded, though he got up and took another beer from Geoff's hand anyway.

"You just fought off a small army of the undead," Geoff argued, "You've earned it. Now, here's a toast to the fulfillment of the destruction of evil." He then raised his bottle into the air in front of him.

"Here," Harry and Gary said together as they did the same. Then all three drank to their success.

--

Author's Notes: I was going for a bit of _Resident Evil_ and _The House of the Dead_ in this chapter. I don't know if it came off well.

That's all until next week. Until then, read, review and enjoy.


	17. 16: Quidditch Tryouts

Author's Notes: Okay, I am very sorry for not posting in the last few weeks, but my laptop monitor died and I had to find a desktop monitor that I could plug into my laptop in order to use it. Also, the process of attempting to get my laptop fixed is not over yet, as my sound system is not working properly.

Anyway, thanks to all the readers out there who read my stories in the past few weeks. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: I just added in the bobby for the Monty Python reference (more about that in a second). It certainly would have been an odd situation for Harry and Gary if he had reverted back in front of the officer. As for Harry playing the hero, it isn't a role he chose, but rather something that was shoved into his care. I'll explain this more in a few chapters, but Harry just doesn't want any more blood on his hands. Thanks for the support.

Fugatad: Thanks for the comment.

Gundanium-Heart: I'm glad you're excited about where this story is going. However, I'm certain there are 5'6" 11-year-olds out there. However, I do have a habit of making people too tall too young. Thanks for pointing that out. And yes, some of my paragraphs are awkwardly worded. Sometimes, there's just no avoiding it. And thanks for the suggestion about unsigned reviews, though I would encourage readers to submit signed ones if they can.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was the line, "What's all this, then?" spoken by the police officer upon seeing Gary and Harry leaving the orphanage. This line is often used by bobbies in Monty Python sketches. I don't know if it is standard operating procedure for a British police officer to say this, but there you go.

Just a new note, this story has been added to the "Deliciously Long Fics" C2. This is the first time this has happened to one of my stories, so I guess I'm getting somewhere in this fan fiction world. But I guess this means I REALLY need to finish this story. Not that I had any intentions not to, of course.

Well, time for the students to meet a celebrity of sorts.

**Chapter 16: Quidditch Tryouts**

It had been two weeks and a day since the Gryffindors and Slytherins had flying lessons together. On this Saturday (by the school schedule), both Gryffindor and Slytherin were having their Quidditch tryouts; Gryffindor in the morning and Slytherin in the afternoon. Gryffindor's session on the Hogwarts Quidditch pitch started at nine in the morning, so Mohammad and Henry made sure they were on the pitch a whole 15 minutes early to make a good impression on the team captain, Ron Weasley.

"Alright, I'll take you through the fundamentals since we don't have any brooms right now," Henry told Mohammad once they got onto the pitch from the main gate, "The Quidditch pitch is an oval, 500 feet long and 180 feet wide."

"And the pitch barrier extends upward from those lines on the ground like a cylinder?" Mohammad inquired as he pointed at the pitch outline on the ground.

"That's correct," Henry affirmed, "And you can't fly outside that boundary if you have the Quaffle. If you do, play is stopped and the other team gets possession of the Quaffle from where it was when play was stopped."

Mohammad nodded in understanding. "And you can fly as high as you want to?" he inquired.

"Yes, but generally play doesn't go much higher than the goals up there," Henry replied as he pointed to the two sets of three goals, "Those are the rings mounted 50 feet in the air on those poles. The goal of the chasers is to get the Quaffle through one of the three goals protected by the opposing keeper. Each goal is worth 10 points."

"Now, I notice that the area around both sets of goals is marked off," Mohammad pointed out as he referred to the scoring areas, "Can the keeper not leave that area?"

"No, this is the scoring area," Henry explained, "The keeper can leave this area whenever they want, but only one opposing chaser is allowed inside it at a time. If more than one opposing chaser is inside the scoring area at the same time, it's a violation called 'stooging,' and results in a change of possession."

Mohammad nodded. "How many violations are there in Quidditch?" he asked.

"Seven hundred," Henry informed, "Now, there are two balls called Bludgers which seek out the nearest person after they are hit by a beater's bat. Each team has two beaters, and it's their job to disorient the other team's players using the Bludgers, and maybe even knock one of them out of the game."

"And the Golden Snitch?" Mohammad asked.

"The most important ball in the game," Henry began, "The Golden Snitch can only be caught by a seeker, of which there is only one per team. If anyone else touches the Snitch, it is a foul called 'snitchnip,' and the other team gets a penalty shot with the quaffle. When a seeker catches the Snitch, they win 150 points for their team and the game ends immediately."

"So catching the Snitch is worth 15 Quaffle goals," Mohammad commented, "Then why do you bother putting the other players out there?"

"Because Quidditch is always based on a cumulative system of points in a league," Henry replied, "At Hogwarts, each team plays three games, one against each other house. After all the games have been played, the team which has scored the most points overall wins the cup, not the team with the best win-loss record, although win-loss record is the first tiebreaker in the event of a tie in total points."

"So, those are all the basics?" Mohammad asked.

"Pretty much," Henry affirmed, "You'll start to understand this game a lot better once we get airborne, trust me."

"I'm sure I will," Mohammad replied as he looked back toward the main gate of the Quidditch pitch, "Looks like the others are coming now."

Henry looked and saw that about two dozen other Gryffindor students were approaching the Quidditch pitch. Most of them were not first years.

"Tryouts for the reserve team are in two weeks," third year Gryffindor student Euan Abercrombie informed the two, "This tryout is for the first team."

"Yeah, we know," Mohammad replied, "We're here to make the first team."

"Not everyone can be Harry Potter, you know," Euan retorted.

"Hey guys, calm down," Ron Weasley ordered as he walked onto the pitch, appearing to be excited by something, "We got a celebrity here today."

Everyone looked back toward the gates and saw Professor Gryffindor and another wizard approaching them. Some of the Quidditch hopefuls' jaws dropped upon seeing this wizard in his late-40's, who was carrying a Firebolt firmly in his left hand. He was about the same height and build as Geoffrey, but his hair was blonde and had a crew cut and blue eyes. He was also wearing a Quidditch uniform colored with red and blue stripes with white stars all over, with a white "1" on the back of the uniform. His very stride spoke of confidence in himself.

"That's Maximus Brankovitch III!" Henry exclaimed silently, "He just won the Quidditch World Cup for the USA!"

"Gryffindor Quidditch hopefuls! I have someone to introduce to you this morning," Geoff announced, "This man is an accomplished professional Quidditch player from across the pond. Among his many accomplishments are seven U.S. Quidditch Cups and one Quidditch World Cup. Gryffindor hopefuls, this is the seeker of the Fitchburg Finches and the U.S. Quidditch team, Maximus Brankovitch III."

Most of the students looked at Brankovitch in awe; it was the closest anyone had ever been to a professional Quidditch player, let alone one of his caliber. However, Mohammad, who had never heard of him before now, just looked at him with a blank expression.

"You know, I hate it when people look at me like that, as if I'm a god or something," Maximus commented in a voice whose pitch was higher than one would expect for a man of his stature, "I know most of you grew up with heroes, and so did I. I admired some of the greatest sports players of the past. I had their posters all over my bedroom walls and I went to sleep at night and dreamed that I was them. But then, about the time I was the age you kids are at, I realized two things. The first was that I could actually play Quidditch for a living. And the second was that I no longer wanted to be like my heroes." He looked and pointed at the first student he saw who didn't look in awe at him. "You there, what's your name?" he asked.

"Mohammad Hazan," Mohammad replied after a short pause.

"Mohammad Hazan," Brankovitch repeated as he nodded his head, "I like that name. Mohammad, always remember this. You don't want to be the next Maximus Brankovitch III. You want to be the first Mohammad Hazan."

Mohammad smiled upon hearing this and nodded. He understood exactly what Brankovitch meant, but most of the students look dumbfounded. "Alright, let me put it this way to the rest of you," Maximus began, "I'm Maximus Brankovitch III, and you don't want to be me. You want to be better than me."

Most of the students now understood what he was telling them. Seeing this, Brankovitch said, "Well, I'm not the most eloquent guy in the world, but I'd sure love to see some Quidditch, so lets get this show on the road."

"I couldn't agree more," Geoff agreed as Gryffindor seeker Ginerva Weasley ran onto the pitch. Everyone looked at her awkwardly as she panted to recover her breath.

When she finally did speak, she said, "Sorry guys, I overslept."

Brankovitch smiled and clapped his hands together. "Ah, next to Quidditch, my favorite occupation!" he exclaimed. And that got a laugh out of everyone there.

--

"Alright, here's what's going to happen," Ron announced to the group of students standing on the Quidditch pitch, "We only have one position on the first team that we need to fill, and that position is a chaser. You should already know what the chasers do, but if you don't, they pass around the Quaffle and attempt to throw it through one of the three goals of their opponent. Now, there are twelve of you here, so we'll form four teams of three chasers and have you do some scrimmages against each other. That will comprise the first half of the tryouts, with the four best chaser hopefuls moving on to the second half of the tryouts."

"So, we won't be facing any Bludgers in the tryouts?" Henry inquired.

"That's correct," Ginny affirmed, "We're going to assume that their presence would affect all of you in the same way. Plus, we'd prefer if none of you were injured today."

"Now, for this part of tryouts, I will be one of the keepers," Ron continued, "And Mr. Brankovitch has agreed to be the other keeper. He assures me that he's as good at that position as I am, and I'll trust his judgement on this one."

"So, everyone split into four groups of three and lets get this going," Ginny ordered as Ron flew up to the undefended goals on his Cleansweep 11 while Maximus was using his Firebolt to guard the other set of goals.

"I haven't played keeper since I was about 15 years old, so I may be a bit rusty at first," Maximus pointed out as he tried to do some maneuvers on his Firebolt, "And the Firebolt wasn't exactly made with keepers in mind."

Mohammad and Henry ended up on the same three-person squad, along with Amanda Tynes, a second year girl. Geoff then opened up a large chest that he brought with him to the pitch. Inside were twelve Nimbus 1000 broomsticks.

"The Nimbus 1000 is more than 30 years old," Geoff explained as he passed one broom to each Gryffindor hopeful, "But it is still a remarkable piece of work. It can reach speeds of up to 100 miles per hour and can turn on a fixed point in midair a whole 360 degrees. And since everyone has the same broom now, we have a level playing field."

Mohammad got on his broom and realized that he was using a much superior broom to the Shooting Star he had used before. He could feel the superiority of this broom as he grabbed the broom handle and flew around with it a little, though he didn't perform another loop-de-loop.

"Henry, how do you stay on this thing at 100 miles per hour?" Mohammad inquired, "Wouldn't you fly off your broom at that velocity?"

"For brooms that go as fast as these, there are various dampening spells that protect you from the air rushing around you," Henry explained as he mounted his broom and pushed himself into the air, "However, I don't feel comfortable going that fast, so try to keep your speed down."

"I'll try, but if I see an opening, I'm going to take it," Mohammad warned as he, Henry and Amanda took to the air above the pitch to face off against another group of three.

Ginny walked onto the pitch and organized the two groups into the starting positions that the chasers would take at the start of a game. Amanda took her position just outside the small center circle, with Henry and Mohammad positioning themselves behind and to either side of her in order to catch a tipped quaffle. Henry looked behind him and saw that their keeper was Ron.

"Alright, guys and girls," Ginny announced as she got ready to throw the Quaffle straight up in the air from the center circle, "Lets have a nice, clean game here." And with that, she threw the Quaffle into the air and stuffed a whistle into her mouth.

Amanda went up and beat her opponent to the Quaffle, which she tipped backwards toward Henry. He managed to catch the Quaffle and started to move forward with Mohammad and Amanda. They passed the ball around with each other in order to keep the ball from turning over to the other squad. Eventually, Henry passed the Quaffle to Mohammad, who was entering the scoring area. Mohammad looked at the goals and at Brankovitch and, without hesitation, threw the Quaffle at the left-side goal, which was the one he was closest to. Brankovitch moved toward the right-side goal, believing that Mohammad would think that he would cover the left-side goal. He guessed wrong, as the Quaffle flew right through the left-side goal.

"Yeah, Mohammad!" Henry shouted as he flew up next to his friend and hugged him, "You did it!"

Mohammad looked a little dumbfounded, then said, "I threw the ball first time, and there it went through the hoop!" He then started laughing as they soon got back to playing Quidditch.

Brankovitch looked a little embarrassed at this point. He shrugged and remarked, "Like I said, I'm a little rusty at this keeper thing." However, even once he got back into the groove of things, Mohammad had his number for another two goals and an assist.

--

"Alright, that's the end of the first half of the tryouts," Ron called to the 12 hopefuls as he and Brankovitch flew back down to the pitch, "Four of you will be moving on to the second half of the tryouts, where you'll be flying with the other two first team chasers; Dean Thomas and Demelza Robins. For those of you who don't make it, you are more than welcome to tryout for the reserve team in two weeks. And I'd like to thank Mr. Brankovitch for helping us today."

"Don't mention it," Maximus replied, "We're just taking a little break from the world tour circuit, so it feels good to get some time in on the pitch."

"Alright, here are the four players who will be moving on to the second half of the tryouts: Euan Abercrombie, Mohammad Hazan, Dennis Creevey, and Natalie MacDonald," Ron announced, with cheering coming with each name and a collective groan at the end, "Everyone else, I hope I'll see you here in two weeks."

Most of those who didn't make it left the pitch in dejection and disappointment. But Henry remained in the stands to watch Mohammad play on.

"So, what do you say now about first years on the first team?" Mohammad asked Euan tauntingly.

"You haven't made the team yet," Euan pointed out, "And trust me, you aren't going to."

"We'll just see about that," Mohammad replied, pointing a finger in Euan's face as he finished.

"Hey, knock it off, you two," Ginny ordered sternly, "That isn't going to help you make the team."

Mohammad and Euan stopped their talking at this point. However, Geoff had taken notice of Mohammad's feisty nature.

"Alright, here's how it's going to work," Ron announced, "Each one of you four are going to get a chance to play with the other two first team chasers and will try to score on me. And MacDonald will go first."

--

"Okay, good job Dennis," Ginny called as Dennis Creevey flew back down to the ground after a rather unimpressive performance, "Mohammad, you're up."

"Let me show you all how this is done," Mohammad remarked as he took off into the air to join the other two chasers.

"He's got confidence," Maximus mentioned to Geoff, "I like that. Mohammad is going to be something special in Quidditch."

"He has the potential to be a world class keeper," Geoff agreed, "But today, is he better at chaser than Euan Abercrombie?"

"Probably not," Brankovitch admitted, "And Euan is definitely more of a finesse player. But if you want physical play, Hazan is your man."

"Agreed, but Gryffindor has always been more of a finesse team," Geoff informed, "So Euan will probably make the team."

--

"Alright, this will be the last series for you Mohammad," Demelza informed, "So we'll let you choose the play sequence here."

Mohammad knew he needed to show the team something impressive in order to make the team. "Alright then, I'll make this simple," Mohammad said, "Dean, how strong is your arm?"

"Strong," Dean replied simply.

"Good," Mohammad began, "We'll pass the Quaffle around while working our way toward Ron. I'll take the Quaffle into the scoring area. Dean, you wait behind me, outside the area, and get the pass and shoot whatever goal is opened up. Demelza, if Dean misses the pass, you make sure you get it and shoot instead."

Both Demelza and Dean nodded in agreement as Dean took the Quaffle and began moving up the pitch toward Ron's position. As they neared the scoring area, Demelza passed the Quaffle to Mohammad and then hung back behind Dean as Mohammad went into the scoring area and started to move to the right. Ron went over to guard that goal. Mohammad motioned as if to throw the quaffle at the right-side goal, but did not release the ball. Instead, he continued to hold the Quaffle through the throwing motion and released it when his right hand reached his left shoulder. The Quaffle flew backward out of the scoring area and into the hands of Dean Thomas, who immediately threw the ball at the wide-open left-side goal. Ron had no chance of getting the save.

"YEAH!" Mohammad yelled as he raised both his arms into the air.

"Oh wow!" Maximus exclaimed, "That was amazing!"

Everyone who was still present at the tryouts had some sort of reaction to the score; from Henry Gryffindor, who started jumping up and down in the front row of the stands in excitement, to Euan Abercrombie, who shook his head at Mohammad's show of deception.

"Great job, Mohammad!" Ginny called out as Mohammad landed near her, "That was a great pass."

Mohammad barely registered her compliment as he ran toward the stands and jumped up into the seat next to Henry, broom still in his right hand. "What do you think of that?" he asked Henry loudly.

"I say you're going to give Slytherin a nightmare next month," Henry replied as they embraced each other, "That was unbelievable!"

"Gryffindor, I want that kid on the Fitchburg Finches the moment he leaves Hogwarts!" Brankovitch demanded.

"I think Puddlemere United might have something to say about that, Maximus," Geoff pointed out, "Do you think you can outbid them with the state of Quidditch in the States?"

"Trust me, within the next seven years, U.S. teams will be beating the best Europe has to offer on a regular basis," Maximus assured Geoffrey, "Quodpot will drop in popularity now that we won the cup."

"I like Quodpot, actually," Geoff informed, which earned a long, dirty stare from the American Quidditch star.

--

"Alright, a great job to all four of you," Ron told the four finalists after he, Ginny, Demelza and Dean had deliberated for ten minutes about who should make the team, "But only one of you can make the first team. For those of you who don't, I expect to see you two Saturdays from now for reserve team tryouts.

"And the third chaser for the Gryffindor Quidditch first team will be Euan Abercrombie."

"Yes!" Euan shouted with an arm pump as he stepped forward and joined his teammates. Mohammad, meanwhile, appeared to be sickened by the fact that he failed to make the team.

"It's alright, Mohammad," Henry assured his friend as he sat down on the ground and stared blankly ahead, "You'll make the reserve team easily, trust me."

Mohammad shook his head slowly as Ginny come up to talk to him.

"Mohammad, I'm sorry you didn't make the team," she said, "You came really close, but Dean and Demelza have had some prior experience with Euan and he knows the game more than you do. You'll make the team next year, just keep your head up."

Mohammad continued to sit for another few seconds until he finally stood up and began walking back to Geoff. He tried to hand the Nimbus 1000 back to him, but Geoff declined to accept it.

"Kid, you've earned it," Brankovitch informed Mohammad, who now was looking up instead of down, "You hang on to that broom."

"Mohammad, why don't you hang on to this broom?" Geoff inquired, "You'll be needing it again in two weeks, I would think."

Mohammad sighed as he nodded and walked back toward the castle.

"He must have a huge chip on his shoulder," Maximus concluded as he watched Hazan walk away, "I've never seen anyone react like that to being the second-best player on the pitch."

"His family immigrated to Britain from Pakistan," Geoff informed Brankovitch, "And he's a Muggle-born."

That drew a look of concern from Maximus. "Oh boy, if Christians want us burned at the stake, I can't imagine what those Muslims think of us," he commented as he shook his head, "I'm glad that kind of intolerance isn't tolerated in our world."

"Trust me, Maximus, a lot of people in Wizarding Britain openly hold prejudices against Muggle-borns," Geoffrey said with a sigh, "And I'm sure that hatred is also present in America."

Maximus glanced back at Geoff momentarily. "Maybe, but in America, Muggle-born hatred is taboo," he pointed out, "It has been since the late 60's, and I'm happy it is that way."

"Just because something is taboo doesn't mean it doesn't exist," Geoff argued.

"But at least you aren't allowed to act on that racism in the United States," Maximus retorted harshly, "You know, you Brits act all high and mighty, like you are all somehow superior to all other nationalities somehow. But every time I come to this country, I always hear things like, 'Mudbloods aren't welcome here' or 'All those mudbloods should be banished from the country' or whatever. And then there's this Voldemort pest committing acts of terrorism against both wizards and Muggles and too many people here hail him as a hero for it."

"Maximus, those who support Voldemort's actions are very much in the minority, and you know that," Geoffrey replied as he and Brankovitch turned to look at each other when they saw that all the Gryffindor students had left the pitch, "And our Ministry is trying to bring Voldemort to justice as we speak."

"If even one person is allowed to support terrorism in public without being punished in some way for it, that's bad enough," Maximus responded angrily, "Freedom of speech doesn't extend to open support of terrorism. Your Death Eaters would never have stood a chance of succeeding in the States because they would have been cracked down on by our government from the earliest stages."

"You and I agree on all those thing, Maximus," Geoff defended, "You know that. We've known each other for years."

"But the stakes aren't as high for you, Geoffrey," Maximus pointed out, "You're a pureblood, so you aren't discriminated against. But I came to Britain last year for an exhibition match against the Chudley Cannons and someone denied me service in a restaurant because I am the son of two Muggles. I have to endure the hatred; you don't. You don't understand what it is like to face this kind of discrimination."

"Neither do you, Max!" Geoff angrily retorted, "Like you said, that sort of thing isn't allowed in the States. You only had to deal with that one time."

"Once was enough," Maximus replied, "I felt so humiliated that we almost lost to the Chudley Cannons! Do you realize how far back that would have set American Quidditch?"

Geoff decided to end this conversation at this. He took a long glare into his friend's eyes and then said, "If that was all you lost because of this hatred, consider yourself lucky. I wish that was all I lost to it."

Maximus felt a wave of shame wash over him upon hearing this. He knew about all the close friends that Geoffrey had lost in 1981. Geoff told him the story years ago and he never wanted to hear it again. "I'm sorry Geoff," Brankovitch apologized with his head looking to the ground, "I got carried away. I didn't mean to insult you."

"I know, Max, I know," Geoff assured as he put his right hand on his friend's left shoulder, "And trust me, I will do everything in my power to stop Voldemort. But you have to remember that we haven't had a rights movement like you had in the 1960's. We're still waiting for that change."

Maximus nodded and then looked back down the path leading back to the castle. "Looks like the Slytherins are coming," he commented as he saw someone approaching the pitch.

--

Author's Notes: Ovciously, the situation in the USA Wizarding community between Quodpot and Quidditch is a mirror to the real-life situation here in the States between gridiron football and association football (a.k.a. soccer), except that the USA has never won the World Cup... yet (hopefully, that will change in 2010). Also meant to be a mirror situation like this (one that is more of my invention) is the status of racism in Europe (allowed and even encouraged in certain respects) and racism in the United States (looked down upon in practically all situations).

Well, that's about all for this week. Until next time, read, review, and enjoy.


	18. 17: The New Army

Author's Notes: Well, no new computer problems to report this time around. So a big thanks to all my readers out there who pushed this story to over 8,500 hits in the past week. And a big thanks to all my reviewers.

Fugatad: Well, Harry will use the _Avada Kedavra_ curse eventually, don't worry about that. The problem with duels is that while I can imagine them, I usually cannot put into words all that my mind sees. Therefore, I generally leave it up to the readers' imaginations to see the duels and fights as they occur, with me only butting in occasionally to say that something definitive has happened. But we'll see what happens. Thanks for the support.

ProfessorChris: Yeah, it sucks, but I'll make due. Thanks for the support.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was a bit obscure. It's Mohammad's line after scoring his first Quidditch goal, which I adapted from a line by John Cleese in the 11th episode of Month Python's Flying Circus, from a sketch titled "Literary Football Discussion," where an obviously dumb football/soccer player is trying to answer the questions of an interviewer who keeps referring to literature in his questions to the footballer.

This week's Monty Python reference is also a bit obscure, but actually has a direct relation to the _Harry Potter_ series itself. I'll explain this next week.

And this story has been added to a second C2... thing. Check it out on "The Motley Collection." Wow, two C2's.. I'm flattered. Er, what is a C2?

Well, enough of that, time to get back to the action. Oh, and I will add a disclaimer to the end of this chapter, so don't stop reading in a rage if something upsets you.

**Chapter 17: The New Army**

It was now early October, and Megan was paying attention in Defense Against the Dark Arts to Professor Gryffindor's lecture about the history of the dark arts in the Middle Ages, which she found absolutely fascinating. She took down notes at a feverish pace as Geoffrey continued the lecture, which was nearing its end.

"Now, the 1400's saw a sharp drop in the use of the Killing Curse, but this is often called the darkest time in the Dark Ages," Geoff lectured as he walked about in front of his class of first year Slytherins, "These were dark times because the Cruciatus Curse and the Imperius Curse both came into common use in the wars that were raging in Europe and Britain at that time between rival wizards and witches and their followers. And since these spells weren't outlawed back then, there was no stigma against those who were known to use them. In fact, wizards and witches often used these spells in plain sight, except for the Imperius Curse, of course. This also led to the rise of Muggles knowing about the existence of witchcraft in the 1500's. And this corresponds, of course, with the supposed Muggle witch burnings at those times and further on, though no witch or wizard was ever killed as a result of Muggle actions. However, many thousands of Muggles were killed in these incidents, and the Wizarding world realized that we had to be more careful about letting Muggles see all this magic, or else they would destroy each other to the last man, woman, and child. And that is how the Dark Wizarding Wars ended, in reality. Of course, all of the really bad wizards and witches were vanquished, although Count Tromedlov continued to cause trouble for us until 1604. But most wizards and witches by this time realized how destructive our wars truly were. And that pretty much took away our will to fight to settle petty disputes. And thus ended the Dark Ages. Any questions?"

Will put his hand up in the air. "Yes, Mr. Frost," Geoff called, pointing to him.

"Professor, do you mean to tell us that the Imperius and Cruciatus Curses were only discovered about 600 years ago?" he inquired.

"Oh no, they are much older than that," Geoff clarified, "But when the Reman Empire fell in 477, most of its knowledge was lost for centuries in Europe, including those two curses, though the Killing Curse remained in use. However, much of the Wizarding knowledge that the Remans possessed lived on in the Far East and in Africa. But with the rise of the kingdoms of the Dark Ages, that knowledge returned to Europe with disastrous results for both wizards and Muggles. These events also marked the beginning of the Wizarding philosophy of hiding all magic from Muggles, a philosophy which stood uncontested from 1692 until the beginnings of this century. And that, students, is two lectures down the road. You'll finally get to read the so-called Forbidden Papers, and learn the real truth about Gellert Grindelwald. But here, of course, the truth is still controversial. The history of the First Great Wizarding War has not been set in stone yet."

"Why not?" Megan inquired, "Shouldn't what happened in the past be fact?"

"It should," Geoff replied with a nod, "But current events put the past events into question. There is a perfect Muggle analogy, but I doubt many of you would know of it, even if you attended Muggle school before you came to Hogwarts."

Finally, the bell rang, ending the class period. "No essay for next class, but I would like you to carefully review the history of the dark arts from 1500 to 1899, as that is what we will be covering next class. Pay close attention to the debates surrounding Muggle relations."

"When did this become History of Magic?" a girl in the room commented.

Geoff chuckled. "You will admit I am not as boring as Professor Binns, though, I hope?" he asked, drawing a laugh from everyone in the room, "But I shouldn't speak ill of my fellow professors."

All ten students in the room packed up their stuff, but only nine left. "Megan, aren't you coming?" Michael Piller asked her from outside the classroom, his head looking back into the room at her.

"In a moment, Michael," Megan replied, "I want to ask Professor Gryffindor some questions."

"Okay," Michael replied as he left. The door suddenly shut quietly behind him, even though it opened into the room.

Megan turned and saw Geoffrey standing with his wand pointed at the door. "I figure this conversation might be about more than today's lesson," he remarked as his arm dropped to his side, "What is it you want to ask me, Megan?"

"Are you sure you have the time?" Megan inquired.

"I don't have a class next period," Geoff assured as he sat down in his chair, which he didn't use at all during the class, "So we have about an hour to discuss things."

"Okay," Megan began, sorting her priorities, "First of all, my month is almost up."

"Ah yes, Miss Parkinson's threat," Geoff recalled, "I have been going over how to deal with that situation. She hasn't been trying to teach the Killing Curse to anyone in Slytherin, has she?"

"No, she hasn't," Megan answered, "But she has figured out how to do the spell. She demonstrated to us about a week ago that she could."

"Yes, she did finally get it last week, I can confirm that," Geoff commented, "I knew she would get it eventually."

"But now she can kill us," Megan pointed out, "If she finds out the truth, she will kill me, I'm sure of it."

"Yes, I know betrayal can be hard to cope with," Geoff assured, "But we'll come up with something. There's a way out of this problem. I've been in worse jams than this and came out okay."

Megan nodded as she thought about the situation. "I suppose telling her the truth is actually an option," she said.

"Under the right conditions, perhaps," Geoff affirmed, "But lets consider our other options first."

"I can't think of any," Megan replied, "And believe me, I've been thinking for a while about this. And nothing has come to my mind."

Geoff sat in thought for a good minute or two, pondering Megan's dilemma. Unfortunately, nothing was coming to his mind either. Nothing that he could consider using against a Hogwarts student, anyway. _If this were outside of Hogwarts, I'd just find a way to blackmail Parkinson into standing down,_ he thought to himself, _But I don't have anything to_ . . . Suddenly, he smiled.

"Megan, I think revealing the truth might be a viable option," Geoff said, breaking the silence, "I think I may be able to force Miss Parkinson into not doing anything to harm you."

Megan thought for a moment about that possibility. "That means telling her the whole story, basically, doesn't it?" she stated, "Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Well, what exactly are you afraid of?" Geoff inquired.

Megan opened her mouth to respond, but realized that she needed to ponder that one. And she realized that if Geoff was right, there wasn't a damn thing that Pansy could do to stop them without him knowing about it immediately. "I guess her initial reaction," she finally said.

"Then we'll tell her in this room, with me present," Geoff replied, "Seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts class is on Monday morning. Is that past Parkinson's deadline?"

"I don't believe so," Megan answered, "But I do have to go to class in both morning sessions on Monday."

"Well, Miss Parkinson was in no hurry to leave this room on Monday morning, so I figure she doesn't have a class after my Monday class with the seventh years," Geoff stated, "You'd only have to come in for a short period, then you'd be free to go while I finish the conversation with her alone."

Megan nodded in reply. "Alright, lets do that," she said, "Now I have some questions about the things you mentioned in class."

Geoff stretched his arms out from his body in a gesture of openness. "Ask away," he encouraged as he crossed his arms, "I wouldn't be much of a teacher if I couldn't answer your questions."

Megan smiled. "You mentioned something involving Muggles and history not set in stone," she began, "What exactly were you referring to?"

"Megan, have you ever heard of something called the Armenian Genocide?" Geoff inquired.

Megan thought for a moment. "No, can't say that I have," she finally concluded, "Should I have?"

"It depends on what school you go to," Geoff answered, "Most British Muggle schools don't teach anything about it until you reach the teenage years, if at all. It was an event that occurred in 1915 in what was then known as the Ottoman Empire. The predominantly Muslim Ottomans were wary of the predominantly Christian Armenians. And so, in 1915, during the First Great War and just after a single Armenian division cost the Ottomans dearly in a battle, the Ottoman government began a campaign of rounding up, deporting, and wiping out Armenians within the empire's borders."

Megan had heard this story before, but with a different country involved. "I've heard of the Holocaust," she pointed out, "Why have I never heard about this?"

"Because the Turkish government denies that such a genocide ever took place," Geoff replied, "They say only 300,000 Armenians were killed from 1915 to 1918, and that they lost many soldiers to their forces, making it appear to be a civil war of sorts. However, the Armenian government claims that 1,500,000 Armenians were killed in that time and that it was a coordinated and well-planned effort. The Germans made no effort to hide what they had done, but it's actually a crime to talk about the Armenian Genocide in Turkey. Trust me, I tried once, and I nearly got arrested by Muggle authorities."

"Arrested for what?" Megan asked incredulously.

"Insulting Turkishness, whatever that is supposed to mean," Geoff answered, rolling his eyes.

"Insulting . . . that's just nonsense," Megan said dismissively, "Typical Muslim nonsense, that's what that is."

Geoff wanted to smile at that comment, but it wouldn't set a good example to her for the future. "In any case, the Turkish government has proven, so far, that historical facts can be hidden for a long time. Conceivably, the truth can be forever hidden and destroyed," he concluded, "And if Voldemort has his way, Grindelwald will forever be remembered as a hero to wizard supremacy, instead of a villain as he should be."

Megan decided not to ask any questions at this time about Grindelwald, since they would be learning about him in class soon enough. "Will we be learning about Voldemort in this class?" she inquired.

"No, we will not," Geoff answered, "His story hasn't been completed yet. Also, as you are probably aware of by now, Slytherin has been a traditional raising ground for his supporters, although they are not exclusive to that house by any means. In any case, Headmistress McGonagall was extremely hesitant to let me show you the Forbidden Papers, let alone teach about the ongoing Second Great Wizarding War."

"What are the Forbidden Papers?" Megan inquired, spurred on by the curiosity that such a title naturally caused in the heart of any human, "And why are they forbidden?"

Geoff chuckled. "The label is a bit misleading, similar to Nikita Khrushchev's 'Secret Speech,' which wasn't very secret at all," he explained, "You'll be learning about this in class soon, but I suppose I can give you a bit of a preview. After the fall of Grindelwald in 1945, the First Great Wizarding War was ended. However, after the toll taken on both wizards and Muggles, the public demanded to know why and how Gellert was able to unleash such horrors on the world. The Forbidden Papers, assembled over the course of three years by leading wizards and witches from dozens of countries, attempted to supply those answers. The conclusions the council found were not surprising, but some of the names tied to Grindelwald's ascendancy caused much controversy. The papers were classified for a short time after they were finished in 1948, with many council members assuring the public that another Gellert Grindelwald could never rise again. And the conclusions of the Forbidden Papers, when they were released to the public in 1951, supported that conclusion."

Megan shook her head. "And now we have Voldemort," she stated, "The Forbidden Papers were wrong."

"No, not quite," Geoff pointed out, "There are very subtle differences between Gellert Grindelwald and Lord Voldemort, but extremely important ones. I'll tell you what those differences are once we finish studying the First Great Wizarding War."

"Yes Professor," Megan answered, but she still wanted more information. She desired the power that came with it, the clarity it brought to a picture that was still obscured by a great deal of fog that only her imagination could fill at the moment. And that would almost certainly be an incorrect history.

Geoffrey sensed this desire for knowledge and decided to give the future leader of Slytherin House a history lesson in private. "I cannot teach you about the Second Great Wizarding War in class," he began, "But if you want, I can tell you what I know of it."

Megan smiled upon hearing this. "Please, tell me," she replied eagerly.

Geoff leaned back in his chair and began to recall the sad events that began in his childhood. "It all started in 1970, when I was only six years old," he began, "It started out slow, just a few incidents here and there. But by the time I got to Hogwarts in 1974, things were starting to get really bad. Death Eaters were regularly using the Imperius Curse to have fun with Muggles and other atrocities, even though the war hadn't begun in earnest yet. The Ministry probably figured that they were a bunch of hooligans who would start looking for another, less destructive way to have fun soon enough. But then Dark Marks started appearing over houses where they had murdered and the Ministry realized how badly they had miscalculated."

"Dark Mark?" Megan asked.

"It's the mark the Death Eaters use to distinguish their members," Geoff explained, "It's a skull with a snake coming out from its mouth. In response to the escalations in violence committed by the Death Eaters, the Ministry gave its aurors, who attempted to infiltrate the Death Eaters' ranks and bring them down, the authority to use whatever means they saw as necessary to get their jobs done. And even then, they kept getting cut down left and right. However, the aurors were able to kill many giants in Britain at that time and drove all the remaining ones out of Britain. However, by the time I left Hogwarts in 1981, it seemed like Voldemort was an unstoppable force, enforcing his insane will wherever he wanted to, for the most part. However, a certain group, called the Order of the Phoenix, was formed around the mid-to-late 1970's to oppose the Death Eaters. Outnumbered twenty-to-one, they managed to achieve some spectacular things, but also suffered terrible losses."

"Were you in this Order?" Megan inquired.

Geoffrey's answer shocked her. "No, although I wanted to join," Geoff half-lied, "My parents would hear nothing of it. They just didn't understand the pure evil I had seen the one time I met Voldemort in person. He was a mere man, but he was a man inhabited by pure evil. And so I was not able to do anything as many of the people I grew up with in Hogwarts killed and were killed in those dark times from 1977 to 1981. It seemed like I would pick up the paper every morning and someone I knew had been murdered."

"And then Harry Potter stopped Voldemort," Megan stated, "What happened after that?"

"From 1981 to 1995, a period of relative calm reigned through Britain" Geoff continued, "Although initially after Voldemort's fall, some Death Eaters could not accept that their lord had been vanquished. However, by the end of 1982, the Ministry was coming down really hard on all the Death Eaters it could find. Some sold each other out and got off easy, others kept their mouths shut and were put away for life, and others were able to avoid capture entirely, but the Death Eaters were effectively finished. That is, until Lord Voldemort finally returned in June 1995. And that is when the second part of this war began, and it continues to this day. Once again, people are dying, and it is my job to do whatever I can to stop it."

"By cutting Voldemort off from his source of support here at Hogwarts," Megan surmised with a smile, "Which is where I come in."

"Oh, that would work in time, but there is a much faster solution," Geoff assured, "Kill Voldemort, and the Death Eaters will fall apart, just as they did in 1982. And I am working on achieving that goal, as I have told you before."

"So, what does Voldemort want to do with the world?" Megan inquired.

"That is where Grindelwald and Voldemort differ the most," Geoff began, "As much as Grindelwald's actions were evil, his intentions were noble. Voldemort may speak of those same intentions, but he has none. He seeks to enslave Muggles to the will of the Wizarding world. And he doesn't hide this intention from pure-bloods. The reason why another Grindelwald can't take power again is that his noble intentions for both wizards and Muggles alienated him from everyone but certain intellectuals. Voldemort has a base of power in the continuing Muggle hatred many pure-blood wizards and witches have for Muggles."

Megan nodded as she began to leave the classroom, her hunger for knowledge about her allies and foes alike sated for now.

"Megan, a word of warning," Geoff called before she left, "You may be unaware of this, and it may never come up, but never use the phrase 'For the greater good' in casual conversation. Grindelwald used it as his slogan. You'll understand soon enough, but the phrase is a chilling one to most wizards and witches."

"Thanks," Megan replied as she left the classroom. Her hunger had been sated, but not for long. Her longing for two Defense Against the Dark Arts classes to go by would cause time to slow to a crawl for her.

--

Monday morning's first class was nearly over and the seventh year Defense Against the Dark Arts. Only three students had yet to cast the Killing Curse before this class had begun, and two of them had accomplished it during this class. Geoffrey called the final one to the front of the class.

"Ronald Weasley, all the others have done it," he announced as Ron came to the front of the class slowly, "Let us be done with the Killing Curse once and for all."

Ron nodded his head as he brought his wand up and immediately said, "_Avada Kedavra!_" A green jet of light shot out from the end of the wand and struck the wooden dummy, causing it to fall over again.

"Well done, Mr. Weasley," Geoff congratulated as he went to pick up the dummy again, "You may sit down now."

Ron did so without saying another word. Geoff saw Pansy Parkinson smirk at his hesitance and reluctance.

_Boy, are you in for a shock,_ Geoff thoughts as he addressed the class again. "One final note about the Killing Curse," he began, "It is a slow spell. It takes a noticeable amount of time to be cast and travels slower than most other spells. Unless you have more than one person casting it, this spell is usually useless at a range of 20 feet or more unless you combine it with other, faster moving spells. That is the drawback of using this spell. If you miss, and you will miss often, you are left wide open for a quick counterattack. The Killing Curse works best against an opponent who is off-balance. And it won't cause a good dueler to get knocked off-balance. When you use the Killing Curse, your opponent will know it is coming before you even start to say the words unless you distract them. The key is to mix up slow, powerful spells with fast, near-harmless ones so that your opponent doesn't know what's coming next. Do that, and you'll have a good shot at surviving a wizard's duel."

The bell then rang to signal the end of the period. "Homework is a reading assignment," Geoff informed the class, "Read the account in your textbook of what is often called the greatest wizard's duel of all time, Gellert Grindelwald vs. Albus Dumbledore, Nurmengard Prison, 1945. It is a rather long account of the battle, but once you read it, you will find that even your imagination isn't enough to do this duel justice. Note specifically the combinations both Grindelwald and Dumbledore used to gain the upper hand in the duel. That's all."

As the students filed out of the classroom, Geoff again noticed that Pansy was taking her sweet time to leave. "Miss Parkinson, I'd like to speak to you, please," he requested.

Pansy's stomach sunk when she heard this, but she had no choice. "Yes Professor," she answered as she stood up and walked up to Geoff's desk.

Geoff waited until everyone else had left the classroom before shutting the door with his wand. "Anything you want to ask me?" he inquired.

"Who's the rat in my house?" she asked bluntly, figuring that at this point she had nothing to lose.

To her surprise, Geoff laughed at this demand. "Well, skip the foreplay and lets get right down to business," he commented, "I like that. Well, I can tell you that the truth is coming through the door in about a minute."

Pansy was now extremely confused. A month ago, she swore that this man was about to bite her head off. Now he was acting as if he was her friend. "What's going on here, Gryffindor?" she asked, "What are you doing?"

"Opening your eyes to the truth," Geoff answered simply as a knock came from the door of the classroom, "Come in."

Pansy turned around and saw the door opening into the classroom. The one behind the door made her even more confused than before. "Megan? What are you doing here?" she asked as Megan closed the door behind her.

"Letting you in on our little alliance," Megan replied simply as she walked to Geoff's desk.

Suddenly, a wave of hatred flowed through Parkinson's entire body. She fixed her eyes with a deadly glare on the protégée who had betrayed her. "Megan Blaire, I should nail your head to the floor!" she shouted as she drew her wand and pointed it at Megan. All caution being thrown to the wind, she was about to begin to cast the Killing Curse when her wand simply flew out of her right hand and into Geoff's left hand.

He smiled. "Miss Parkinson, did my lesson not get through to you?" he inquired as he placed the wand on the desk in front of him, "Starting with the Killing Curse? You cannot be so brash in a duel."

"I don't understand," Pansy said in confusion after a moment, "Why are you acting so nice to me, Gryffindor? Something doesn't make sense here."

"You're correct, something doesn't make sense right now," Geoff affirmed, "And that something is you, Miss Parkinson. This isn't you. You aren't the hateful type, or at least I hope you aren't."

At this moment, Megan leaned over and whispered something into Geoff's right ear which caught his attention. "Well, in that case, you may go to your next class, Miss Blaire."

Megan left the room and closed the door behind her. Geoff signaled to Pansy to keep quiet and waited about fifteen seconds before he said unnecessarily loudly, "I got word from Mr. Filch that he's switching up his corridor patrol routine today and that he'll be walking down this hallway right about now."

Another fifteen seconds passed before Geoff saw a shadow pass by the bottom of the door at a rather brisk pace. "Good, we're alone now," he stated as he threw Pansy's wand back to her.

"Who was eavesdropping on us?" Pansy asked as she caught her wand.

"It was Miss Granger, don't worry about it, I'll deal with her later," Geoff assured, "Now, we have some things to discuss. Such as my alliance with Miss Blaire."

"You've been using her to spy on Slytherin," Pansy concluded with an air of criticism sinking into her voice, "Using a little girl in your schemes, Gryffindor? You should have been put in Slytherin."

"I didn't want to use her, but she came to me first," Geoff admitted, "And she is extremely mature for her age. But tell me Miss Parkinson, since when have you hated those who aren't pure-bloods?"

This question forced Pansy into a good minute of self-reflection as she sat down and thought about the turn her life had taken since meeting Draco Malfoy six years ago. "Since I knew I liked Draco," she admitted.

"I see," Geoff answered, "You care about him, don't you?"

"Yes, I do," Pansy replied quietly.

"I can tell you that he was alive and well last time I saw him," Geoff informed her, "At least physically. Mentally, he may be a bit worse for wear, but I'm sure he'll recover from all that he went through last year, although I'm afraid that Dark Mark is quite permanent."

"You've been helping Potter, haven't you?" Pansy inquired as she leaned forward in her seat toward Geoffrey, "Lets be completely honest with each other now."

"I think I've put you through enough, so I'll give you the truth, and nothing but the truth," Geoff began, "Yes, I am working with Harry Potter to destroy Voldemort once and for all. Draco and Severus Snape are working with me to achieve the same ends."

"Draco is working with you?" she inquired, "So he isn't hateful of Muggles anymore?"

"It's still there," Geoff admitted, "That's to be expected; it has, quite literally, been bred into him. But I think the events of last year made him realize that he was not meant to walk the path that his father has. His hatred will always be a part of him, but it need not define him. If it did, I would think your parents would be rather upset by your taste."

"And what do you know of my parents?" Pansy asked a bit defensively.

"Oh, the Parkinsons and Gryffindors go back a long way," Geoff explained, "Back to the end of the Dark Wizarding Wars, in fact. While a Gryffindor often gets the credit for the death of Count Tromedlov, a Parkinson was also heavily involved in that final battle, and the two families have been close ever since. I know both of your parents, Pansy, and I know they didn't teach you to hate Muggles."

Pansy nodded, a slight amount of shame entering her mind. Geoff sensed this was happening and interfered. "Now, now Pansy, don't feel too bad about yourself," he assured her, "We all make mistakes in life. But your mistakes, Pansy, have been minor ones. They are the mistakes whose shame will disappear with time or, perhaps, you'll look back on and laugh at your youthful ignorance and naivete. But I have made mistakes that will haunt me to the grave. Mistakes that time cannot erase. Please Pansy, don't let those small mistakes grow into ones that will never let you have peace."

"Just get to the point already," Pansy demanded as she stood up, "What do you want me to do?"

"Unity," Geoff replied simply, "You remember what I said at the Sorting Feast. We have to form a united front at this school. But time and time again, it is Slytherin who divides us. I need a promise of unity from Slytherin when the time comes. That's all I ask of you, Miss Parkinson."

Pansy thought about this for a moment. On the surface, it seemed such a small thing, one that she herself would be willing to give to Hogwarts. However, under the surface, it would be practically impossible to guarantee the loyalty of Crabbe and Goyle. "Well, I can't give you complete assurances, but I'll do my best," she answered at last.

Geoffrey smiled upon her answer. "You are a natural leader, Miss Parkinson," he assured her, "Where you walk, the other Slytherins will follow, as long as you give them a good enough reason."

"So am I free to go, Professor?" Pansy asked as she stood up.

"One more parting piece of advice, Pansy," Geoff said, "The First Great Wizarding War is the reason why there are only 5,000 wizards and witches in Britain and Ireland instead of 500,000. The first half of this war is why there are only 5,000 wizards and witches now in Britain and Ireland instead of 10,000. We cannot have another drawn-out war between wizarding factions, or else that number of wizards and witches in Europe, and maybe even the world, will fall to nothing. We must end this war quickly. And I need your help for that."

"You got it," Pansy replied. She had heard such figures before and knew that Geoffrey was only exaggerating slightly in his analysis. The First Great Wizarding War almost annihilated the wizard population of Europe from 1914 to 1945. In fact, the wizarding population of Luxembourg was wiped out in 1942. Wizarding wars tended to become extremely bloody and life-costing affairs, and Britain simply could not take another prolonged exposure to the war machine at this time. As Pansy left the classroom and made her way back to the Slytherin common room, for the first time in years, she was free to be herself again. And she found it to be a liberating feeling.

--

A few days later, Geoff was in his office on the second floor of the castle, helping students with their problems. Except that no one was in his office at this time.

"Don't tell me I'm actually doing that good a job," Geoff muttered to himself with a smile, "I've only been doing this for a month and a half."

Almost as if in reply to his joking inquiry, he heard a knock from the open door of his office. "Come in," he called as he looked to the door.

Hermione Granger walked into the room, a bundle of books in her arms as always. "Professor, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she said as she walked toward Geoff's desk.

"Not at all, Miss Granger," Geoff replied, "Please, take a seat."

Hermione nodded as she sat down in a padded chair next to the professor's desk and pulled out her Defense Against the Dark Arts textbook and notes, which Geoff saw were completely filled despite Hermione's small handwriting. Geoff was glad to see that she was working hard at getting through school with the highest marks, but he was also concerned that she was just trying too hard.

"Hermione, there's something I have to ask you," Geoff began carefully, not wanting to upset the student who had earned the title that he once bore, "Don't you think you might be trying too hard at Hogwarts?"

Hermione paused for a moment before asking, "Why do you ask that?"

"Well, it's just that I know what it feels like to be you," he replied, "I also carried the title of 'brightest wizard of his generation' while I was here as a student. And quite frankly, while I was an excellent student, I hated all the pressure that came with it. Pretty soon, I found myself going to class just to make sure I was the best in the class and not for the love of learning itself. I was studying every free moment I had instead of stopping to enjoy my youth. Do you understand what I mean?"

Hermione nodded. "Yes, but I do have a social life," she assured her professor, "I'm just good at this sort of thing, I guess."

"You have the knack for learning magic, yes," Geoff agreed, "I had it as well, but nowhere close to how you have it. Of course, in my seventh year, I decided not to take my studies as seriously, and I still passed all my N.E.W.T.s with flying colors. You see, I was studying so hard that I didn't realize that all the extra studying wasn't helping me at all. Hermione, remember that this is the greatest time of your life. You'll never be eighteen again in your life. Embrace this time in your life, because it will never come around again. And besides, Percy Weasley already took down my record for O.W.L.s passed. Don't you think I should be allowed to hang on to the record of 10 N.E.W.T.s?"

Hermione and Geoff shared a laugh at this, as he wasn't completely serious about this last request. "Does it mean that much to you, Professor?" she inquired.

"I couldn't care less about it, to be honest," he replied, "The awards are merely secondary. It is the love of learning that should drive you, not the desire for accolades. Trust me Hermione, with your mind, there is no door that is closed to you."

"Unless Voldemort has his way," she pointed out, "He'd probably have me sent to some kind of slave camp or something." She shuddered at the thought of this.

"Oh no, Voldemort would kill you immediately," Geoff corrected her, "You are far too powerful for him to keep alive under any circumstances. You would always be a threat to him."

"Well, that's comforting," Hermione responded with sarcasm, "How are you doing on that account, by the way?"

"We're doing well, and that's all I can tell you about that," Geoff answered, "We will win this war soon. Now, you have questions about the subject I'm teaching you, I hope."

"Oh, yes, I do," Hermione replied as she looked through her textbook and referred to the reading assignment and the notes she wrote about it, "I was just wondering which combinations of spells you want us to remember from this duel, because there are just too many to remember."

Geoff frowned at this assertion and his own vagueness in the homework assignment. "Miss Granger, there is no need to remember all the different combinations of spells themselves," he clarified, "At least not now. The important thing is to recognize the spell types and how they are used in combination with each other. At our next class, I am going to explain the four types of spells and how they affect each other when cast in sequence. There are only a few important exceptions, and those will also be covered in class. Don't try to memorize all the different spells and their combinations, Hermione. As I learned during my sixth year, don't study hard; study right."

"Yes Professor," Hermione replied as she scribbled some more notes down and decided to push her luck, "So what were you talking to Pansy about?"

Geoff's immediate reaction was to block this line of inquiry from proceeding any further. However, after taking a moment to think it through, he decided that Hermione had proven her loyalty to Hogwarts many, many times over in the past, from what he understood. "I turned her to my cause, Miss Granger," he answered, "Now Slytherin will fall in line with us when the war comes to Hogwarts. You can be assured of that."

"How can you be so sure?" Hermione inquired, "She was part of Umbridge's Inquisitorial Squad, you know."

"Umbridge was a Slytherin when she went to Hogwarts, though that was a bit before my time," Geoff explained, "She left Hogwarts a few years before I entered, so we never met in school. However, we have had some communication outside of Hogwarts and, to be honest, I didn't like her before she taught here. She was one of three people on the Wizengamot who voted to convict me in 1990 and I could tell that she was voting to convict from the start. And after what she did here two years ago, I have absolutely no desire to speak to or of her."

"That still doesn't excuse Pansy's past actions," Hermione claimed.

"No, but let me tell you something about her family," Geoff retorted, "The Parkinsons are not pure-blood supremacists. While most of them are quite proud of their family, Pansy did not get her notions of racism from her parents. Those she got from Mr. Malfoy, and thus were easier to remove."

Hermione thought about this for a moment and realized that, while she and Pansy had never gotten along with each other, it wasn't until her fourth year that she heard her say anything about hating Muggle-borns. In addition, Pansy had always been on a first name basis with some Gryffindors. "I guess she isn't so bad after all," she mused, "Even though she has put me in a headlock once or twice."

Geoff laughed. "Don't worry, I'll take none of that behavior from her now," he assured Hermione, "Now, lets focus on your questions concerning my class."

"Yes Professor," Hermione replied as she went back to her notes, "I thought there were three types of spells, not four."

Geoff picked up a Galleon that was on his desk that he hadn't noticed before. "Well, most experts have three divisions, yes," he confirmed as he examined the object, "But I put the Killing Curse in a class by itself. Most place it with what are called the 'slow spells,' those spells that require more magical power and concentration to cast. However, the Killing Curse can cause some interesting things to happen in a sequence of spells that are quite unlike what the other slow spells do. That's why most people put the Killing Curse at the end of a chain of spells. In fact, that's a tip to keep in mind if you ever find yourself in a duel with another witch or wizard, Miss Granger. Almost all wizards and witches will only use a Killing Curse at the end of a chain of spells and nowhere else in the chain."

"That's good to know," Hermione commented as she scribbled that down in her notes, "Is there some way of blocking the spell or must it be dodged?"

"Oh, there are ways of deflecting it, but they require a great deal of focus, as well as good reflexes," Geoff answered, "Because the Killing Curse spell moves more slowly than any other dueling spell, it is the easiest to dodge or block, which is why it is only used while your opponent is off-balance. However, you must be careful, because one mistake and all your magical potential will be meaningless. That's where the Killing Curse gets its real power from. People find it so terrifying that they could die in an instant that they end up being nervous, which leads you into making mistakes. As hard as it is, you have to relax under the pressure of a duel in order to avoid mental mistakes that can cost you dearly."

"But how can you relax when you are having spells flying right at you?" Hermione inquired.

"Training will help you," Geoff assured as he extended the Galleon to Hermione, "Is this yours?"

Hermione looked up from her notes and saw the coin in Geoff's hand and immediately realized what it really was. "Um, yes, it's mine," she replied hesitantly as she took the coin and pocketed it.

Geoffrey noticed the hesitation in Hermione's answer. "It's more than just a Galleon, isn't it?" he inquired.

"It has to do with what happened here two years ago," Hermione explained, "Because Umbridge wasn't allowing us to actually perform spells in Defense Against the Dark Arts classes, we decided to form a group that would do just that. Unfortunately, someone told Umbridge about what was going on and we got raided."

"Ah yes, Dumbledore's Army," Geoff suddenly recalled, "That was the last straw for Fudge; he forced Dumbledore to flee after that. Hermione, you weren't actually training an army under Albus's orders, were you?"

"Absolutely not," Hermione answered, "It was just to keep us up to date in our spell-casting. We weren't training an army, and Dumbledore couldn't have known anything about it until we were caught."

Geoff chuckled softly at this last claim. "Hermione, you still have much to learn about the late headmaster," he pointed out, "Dumbledore didn't know exactly what you were up to until you were caught, but he knew you were doing something in the Room of Requirement." The mentioning of that room caused Geoff to stop for a moment as he leaned back into his chair and smiled. "That room has always been of great use to its users," he went on, "I have one especially fond memory about it."

Hermione had a funny feeling about where Geoff was going with that; unlike most of the other professors, he was still a young man by the Wizarding world's standards at only 34 years of age (the average lifespan for a wizard who died of natural causes was around 175 years and 182 years for witches). In fact, currently, he was the second-youngest teacher at Hogwarts, beaten out by Muggle Studies teacher Charity Burbage by eight days. "Well, it was of great use to us as well," she interrupted quickly, "I used that coin to tell other members of the army when meetings were being held by altering the serial number on my coin, which would change the number on the coins that we gave out to all the members."

Geoff nodded. "A very covert method of communication," he mused, pondering his options at this point, "Tell me Hermione, would you have any objections to reforming Dumbledore's Army now?"

"I don't really think there's any point now, is there?" Hermione replied, "You aren't keeping us from using spells. In fact, except for Professor Lupin, you may be the best Defense Against the Dark Arts professor I've ever had."

"While I appreciate the flattery, Miss Granger, I'd like to have the younger students getting more safe, practical experience with spell casting than I could ever give them," Geoff responded, "I understand that you may be too busy with your schedule of classes and being Head Girl to do this, but I think that training the younger students would be a great way to help protect Hogwarts when the time comes."

"You're intending on putting first years in the line of fire?" Hermione asked incredulously.

"Absolutely not," Geoff replied adamantly, "But we need to be prepared for the worst case scenario at this school."

Hermione nodded her head in agreement. She couldn't argue with that. The school had always been high Voldemort's list and it had been invaded only a few months ago by Death Eaters. Had it not been for Harry's generous offer of the remainder of his Felix Felicis potion, Dumbledore would have almost certainly not been the only fatality on their side in that incident. And she knew that if Harry failed, that was only a taste of what was to come. Quite frankly, this was a war that her side simply couldn't afford to lose.

"What if we get caught again?" Hermione inquired, "I can't be caught doing anything like this."

"Lets just say that, were you to reorganize Dumbledore's Army," Geoff began, "I would ensure that you and your members would be free from harm by being the sponsor of a completely legitimate school organization. Officially, you'll be the student leader of a group dedicated to helping students with spell casting that will meet every Saturday afternoon, except on Quidditch weekends."

Hermione thought about this for a moment. "What's the catch?" she asked.

"The Saturday meetings will be advertised to the school at large," Geoff answered, "And that includes any member of Slytherin who wants to attend them. However, Dumbledore's Army will meet in secret and will consist of only those whom you deem worthy of your trust. And that is where the real training will occur."

Hermione nodded in agreement with the plan. "I say we call it SCAM," she offered.

Geoff was confused by this. "Are you saying this whole thing is a scam?" he asked.

"Oh, no, it's an acronym," Hermione corrected, "Spell Casting Assistance Meetings. SCAM."

Geoff laughed at this. "Right then, SCAM it is!" he responded enthusiastically, "I'll ask Minerva to approve of this immediately and distribute notices to the student body. If all goes well, you'll have the Great Hall as your playground after dinner next Saturday. And from there, you can set up meetings of Dumbledore's Army as you see fit."

Hermione nodded, but there was something that was still bothering her about this. "Wouldn't SCAM need an official Slytherin leader, though?" she inquired, referring to the rules concerning all school-sanctioned, student-run activities.

"Well, yes," Geoff answered, "But I think Miss Parkinson won't give you any more trouble from now on. I'm sure finding the leaders for Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw will be much easier for you, though."

Hermione didn't delay at all in voicing her choices. "I actually have two choices now," she began, "Ernie Macmillan from Hufflepuff and Luna Lovegood from Ravenclaw."

"Macmillan is a good choice," Geoff replied immediately, "His parents are good friends of mine. I do have some reservations about Miss Lovegood, however. Don't get me wrong, she's a good person, I have no doubt about that. However, she isn't exactly the most rational person in Ravenclaw. Can't you think of anyone else?"

Hermione thought for a moment. "Well, the only other Ravenclaw I can think of that I trust is Michael Corner," she said, "But that might put Ron and Ginny in an awkward situation. Ginny dated him a few years ago and Ron never approved of it."

Geoff laughed at that. "Older brothers never do approve of their little sister's boyfriends, I can tell you that from experience," he joked, "I gave both of my sisters' boyfriends unending grief over the smallest things. Call it being overprotective."

Hermione nodded in agreement. "Ron always said that he'd prefer that Harry date Ginny," she remarked, "And then when that became a reality, he still didn't like it." She shook her head at how stupid Ron could be at times.

Geoff chuckled. "There's an added dimension of awkwardness when your best friend gets involved with your younger sister," he explained, "There's always that voice in your head that's asking, 'Were we really friends, or was he just using me to get to her all this time?' It can be very trying on your friendship."

"Yes, that is true," Hermione assented as she looked back at her notes, "Now, about how Grindelwald used the Exploding Curse here . . . "

--

It was Sunday night at Hogwarts and Geoff knew that he had screwed up. In fact, the entire weekend before Halloween was filled with bad news for him. When he got to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place on Saturday morning, he learned that another good friend of his had been murdered by Death Eaters. He also learned from Gary that Severus had been missing for over a week and that Draco and Harry were still at each others' throats to some extent. Just this morning, he received a letter from Remus. Thinking that he had made some breakthrough on protecting the Ministry from further Death Eater encroachment, he found the letter was actually a plea for help concerning his relationship with Nymphadora Tonks; apparently, she had turned quite cold on him recently and he was concerned he was doing something to push her away from him. While Geoff truly cared for Remus' happiness, he was frustrated that he would send him such a letter at a time like this and replied that he should just go with what his gut told him to do. He knew that Nymphadora was still mourning the death of Sirius to some extent, but she probably had some reservations about being romantically involved with a werewolf. He was barely able to restrain from adding words about not to bother him again with such petty problems at a time when the fall of the Ministry to the Death Eaters was all but inevitable.

To top it all off, Geoff had a feeling that Minerva wanted to have a serious heart-to-heart with him. He had assumed that the proposal for SCAM would clear her scrutiny almost immediately, as Minerva and Hermione had always gotten along with each other. He assumed that the notices for the first SCAM meeting would have gone out on Friday night to the students. However, they still had not gone out by now on Sunday night. As he sat behind his desk writing a letter to his wife, Geoffrey was waiting for Minerva to come through his office door.

Sure enough, in walked Headmistress Minerva McGonagall with an orange sheet of paper in her hand. "Geoffrey, I'm glad you made it back in one piece," she greeted tersely.

From her tone, Geoff knew that his headache was about to get worse. "Minerva, please, have a seat," he offered as he gestured to the chair next to his desk.

"No thank you," she replied. Now Geoff knew he was in for it. He looked up at her for the first time.

"Is that the organization request form that I sent you on Thursday?" he inquired. Of course, he already knew the answer.

"Indeed, it is," she answered, "And I have signed it."

At this, waves of relief and confusion ran through Geoff. On the one hand, McGonagall saw the merits of this new organization and approved of it. On the other hand, she obviously came to talk with Geoff about something to do with SCAM, and he was sure he wasn't going to enjoy this at all. It wasn't that Minerva was very hard to deal with. It was just that he really didn't feel like arguing with anyone right now; not after the weekend he just had.

"So, why are you here with it?" Geoff inquired, "And why haven't the notices gone out yet?"

"Geoffrey, I want you to stop undercutting my authority," Minerva ordered, "I know what this is really about. You're putting Dumbledore's Army back together again."

"Now what makes you think that?" Geoff asked innocently.

"Because you would never have approved of an organization that implies you're incompetent at teaching your class," Minerva answered, "You have an ulterior motive for establishing SCAM, and I think that's to reestablish Dumbledore's Army."

Geoff wasn't in the mood for playing games, so he decided not to run one of his little word charades. "And what if that is what I'm doing?" he asked as he leaned back in his chair, "Why should you be concerned that I have the protection of Hogwarts in mind?"

"Because you are undercutting my authority," Minerva answered, "And think about it from my point of view. I'm looking out for the safety of this school and its students. And then I hear that a professor here, who has a shady past including accusations that he is a serial killer, is secretly forming an army. Geoff, what am I supposed to do?"

Geoff's jaw dropped in shock. "Minerva, you actually think I'm planning a coup?" he asked incredulously, "That had never even crossed my mind. Not even once, I assure you." He had now all but admitted to the reformation of Dumbledore's Army.

"Perhaps not now, but what if you disagree with some of my decisions?" she asked, "You have a history of taking matters into your own hands, Geoff. Would you do so again, supposedly in the name of defending Hogwarts?"

Geoff stood up and walked over to Minerva. "No, I would not," he answered firmly, "Because we are in this together. You heard my words when this term started, that if we are divided we will fall. Then who am I to divide this school by overthrowing you? Minerva, I may be many things, but I am no hypocrite. So long as I know you're on our side, I will follow your orders as far as I believe they will help secure Hogwarts. And Dumbledore's Army will help secure Hogwarts."

Minerva was moved by this display of loyalty from her former pupil and realized that he was telling her the truth. In some ways, he was still the boy she had taught almost two decades ago. She had almost been moved to tears by what she had just seen and heard.

"Geoffrey Gryffindor, you get Dumbledore's Army back together and I'll distribute those notices," she said as she left the room.

"Thank you Minerva," he replied as he sat back down behind his desk. He needed a few minutes to get his thoughts together again before he went back to writing his letter.

--

It was Tuesday afternoon once again, and Geoff was finishing up his lecture to the first year Slytherin students on the First Great Wizarding War. It was a lot of work to fit 31 years of bloodshed into an hour-long lecture, but he was now about to go over that conflict's aftermath.

"On July 31, 1945, Albus Dumbledore defeated Gellert Grindelwald at Nurmengard Prison, finally bringing an end to the First Great Wizarding War," he told the students, "But the toll the war had taken was extreme on both our world and the Muggle World. Partially because of our war, the Muggles fought two extremely destructive wars, most commonly called World War I and World War II. These two conflicts combined to kill at least 80 million Muggles, which was about three or four percent of the world Muggle population at that time. But compared to the wizarding population of Europe, the Muggles had it easy. Wizards in Europe were fighting, without any letting up, for more than 30 years. Britain and Ireland took an especially heavy toll, though not the heaviest. During this war, 95 of Britain and Ireland's wizard population was wiped out. The only country who lost more was Luxembourg, which saw its entire small wizard population completely destroyed by 1942. Most countries lost upwards of half their wizard populations or more. And Europe has never truly recovered from this disastrous loss of life. The world's Muggle population recovered fairly easily from their losses; their population has more than doubled since 1945. Europe's magical community continues to struggle. There were about 150 million wizards and witches living in Europe in 1914, when the war broke out. By the time it all ended, only about 50 million were left.

"And yet, if you examine Grindelwald's own statements, you'll find that he fought this war for a supposedly noble purpose. The view that Muggles could never learn to control their own violent tendencies and needed to be controlled for their own good was a point of view that gained quite a bit of popularity by the time the First Great Wizarding War began. Grindelwald often justified that his actions were 'for the greater good,' that both wizards and Muggles would be better off under his rule. The Muggles would be enslaved to serve wizards in order to prevent them from destroying each other and to deliver a better world to both sides. But with his defeat came the end of the legitimacy of this point of view, at least for now. Any questions?"

Megan immediately raised her hand. "Yes Miss Blaire?" Geoff asked as he pointed to her.

"Why would the Muggles ever accept being enslaved by wizards and witches?" she inquired.

This caused a quiet snicker among some of the students. Geoff ignored these for now. "They wouldn't just accept it," he answered, "And Grindelwald knew that. And I must apologize for my poor choice of words. It was never Gellert's intention to enslave Muggles. His intention was for wizards and witches to rule over them to prevent them from destroying each other. Grindelwald never had any intentions of forcing the Muggles to serve as slaves, though many of his supporters demanded as much. Gellert's plan was to simultaneously educate and brainwash the Muggles into realizing how destructive they were and how it was for their own good that the wizards and witches ruled over them, controlling those tendencies. Any other questions?"

Michael raised his hand this time. "Yes Mr. Piller?" Geoff said as he pointed to him.

"What did Dumbledore do to Grindelwald?" he asked, "Was he killed?"

"Unfortunately, recorded history is silent on Gellert Grindelwald's ultimate fate," Geoff replied, "Most historians believe that either Dumbledore killed Grindelwald after he won their duel or that Grindelwald succumbed to the wounds he suffered during that duel and died. Others believe that he survived the battle and is still alive and free today, while others say he was imprisoned by Dumbledore somewhere. No one knows for sure what happened to him. But I knew Albus Dumbledore very well, and though I never asked him about what happened to Grindelwald, I get the feeling that he would not have killed him. But those are just my thoughts; again, no one knows for sure what happened to Gellert Grindelwald after that duel ended."

At that point, the bell ending the class period rang. "On Thursday, we'll begin working on actual spell casting," he announced to the departing Slytherins, "And if you haven't heard already, there is a new group meeting this Saturday after dinner called SCAM. I would strongly recommend going to work on your spell casting with the other students of Hogwarts. Read the first chapter in your textbook on spell casting for Thursday's class and make sure not to forget your wands." Geoff glanced back up and saw Megan leaving the classroom. "Oh, Miss Blaire, a quick word, please," he added quickly.

Megan waited until all the other first year Slytherins had left the room before she approached Geoffrey's desk. "Yes Professor?" she inquired.

"Megan, I want to thank you for everything you have done for me over the past month-and-a-half," Geoff began, "Without your help, I don't know how I would have gotten Pansy to realize the error of her ways. However, now that Miss Parkinson is on the same page as us, I don't want to use you as a pawn anymore. Megan, you're free to do as you wish now. I won't give you anymore orders except to go to this Saturday's SCAM meeting."

Megan nodded, understanding where Geoff was coming from. "I will," she answered, "By the way, I have something to tell you about the Slytherin common room."

"Yes, what is it?" Geoff inquired, though he thought he'd have very little interest in what Megan was about to say as he sat down behind his desk.

"I don't know what it is about the room, but every time I go into the common room, I get this bad feeling," Megan tried to explain with difficulty, "Like there's a cloud of depression hanging over the room or something. And I know that others get the same feeling in that room as I do."

Geoff was wrong about this not being of interest. What Megan had just described to him were feelings consistent with being in close proximity to a Horcrux. He and Harry were both certain that Voldemort had hidden another one of his Horcruxes in Hogwarts. Megan may have just found it. "And you only get this feeling from the common room?" Geoff asked, his undivided attention on Megan now.

"Absolutely," she answered, "I even asked Pansy about it and she told me she had felt the same things about that room for years."

Geoff took all this in and pondered his next move. A Horcrux was almost certainly in the Slytherin common room somewhere. But it had to be well-hidden. Geoff would need some help on this one, but he didn't trust Pansy with this plan. "Megan, I may have to take back what I said about not needing you anymore," he said after a moment, "I'll keep you informed about this matter. You can run along now."

Megan nodded as she gathered up her items and left the classroom. Geoff now had a few minutes to think about his options. _I need to get Harry into that common room without him being disturbed for at least an hour. Halloween night should be easy enough; everyone will be stuffed and call it a night early. I can sneak him into the school with his Invisibility Cloak easily enough and stow him away in my office. I'll just need someone to let him into the Slytherin common room._ Overall, this didn't seem like too hard a plan to Geoff. It just needed a little bit of coordination.

--

From the pages of the Daily Prophet:

FLYING AGAINST THE WIND AND CLOCK

U.S. AND BULGARIA SCHEDULE FIRST TIMED QUIDDITCH FRIENDLY

The Bulgarian National Quidditch Team will be back in England for the first time since losing the Quidditch World Cup to Ireland 170-160, in spite of the Golden Snitch being captured by Bulgaria, to play the reigning champions from the United States of America in the first international friendly of a game that will be new to British witches and wizards. The friendly was officially confirmed to be scheduled for January 2, 1998 and will take place at Puddlemere Stadium in Ipswich. A friendly being played in Britain on a Quidditch pitch isn't all that noteworthy, except that the game is not Quidditch, or at least the Quidditch we know of.

No, this game is called Timed Quidditch, and is unknown in most of the world outside of North America, where the game rivals even Quodpot in popularity, even though the game was not recognized by the International Association of Quidditch until recently. The game is played on a regulation Quidditch pitch and uses the same equipment and players. In fact, at first glance, the game is no different from regular Quidditch. It's in the flow of the game that the games are different.

"First of all, a captured Snitch does not end the game immediately," Maximus Brankovitch III, captain and Seeker of the U.S. National Team explained at a press conference at the Ministry for Magic's Department of Magical Games and Sports yesterday, "The game lasts 120 minutes, no matter what happens during the game, so all the teams get the same chances to score points."

Speaking of scoring, that is also changed for this game. In Timed Quidditch, a Quaffle going through a hoop is worth one point instead of ten and the capture of the Golden Snitch by a Seeker is worth three points instead of 150. However, the Snitch in Timed Quidditch is always visible in the field of play, so the Seekers can start going after it from the opening whistle. Play and the clock are stopped for any foul, injury, or timeout (each team is given two per sixty-minute half), with an unlimited number of substitutions allowed to be made during stoppage of play. The clock is also stopped for any score, with the Quaffle being given to the team that was scored against on a restart of play and the chase for the Snitch being reset as well. When the Snitch is captured, the team that didn't capture it gets the Quaffle when play starts again.

"I am very excited to be playing against Mr. Brankovitch again," Bulgarian Seeker and newly-named Captain Viktor Krum stated at the press conference, his accent improved noticeably from three years ago, "But I will make sure that my team wins this time around. We have been practicing this game recently and we are getting comfortable with the style of play. It is a much faster game than regular Quidditch, I can tell you that right now. This game will mark my first game as Captain of my squad and I will lead my team to victory this time."

"I am very excited to see how this game turns out," Hassan Mostafa, chairwizard of the IAQ, declared, "This may very well be the future of the sport of Quidditch. On paper, it is a fairer game, with equal emphasis on good Seeker play and good Chaser play. There may be some timing issues that need to be worked out, but a lot of games need to have rules made up as they go along, and this will be no exception."

"I don't anticipate any terrible problems," Brankovitch said, "And I'm sure the crowd will love this game. No chance that this one will be over in two minutes, folks!"

Tickets for the friendly go on sale today.

--

Author's Notes: You may notice from earlier in the chapter that Tromedlov is actually Voldemort spelled backwards. This was intentional; it was another plot point that I decided would not fit in with the rest of the story later on (I originally wanted to include as a secondary plot line the fact that Voldemort had lived a past life as the last of the evil Middle Age wizard warlords, Count Tromedlov, but I decided that this just wasn't going to work with the rest of the story).

The Reman Empire was the Wizarding version of the Roman Empire. Both fell in the same year and for the same reasons, more or less.

Okay, to all my Turkish readers out there, let me just point out that the views of Geoffrey Gryffindor, Megan Blaire, and every other character in my stories are not necessarily my own. What they say and think is not necessarily what I say and think. That said, I do not wish to offend anyone with this chapter's reference to the Armenian Genocide and/or Megan's criticism of Turkish law. Thank you for hearing me out.

The "For the greater good" thing is from _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows_. I admit that. And the other references to the real seventh book are also admitted here.

Okay, I don't look at Pansy Parkinson as being a female and/or lite version of Draco Malfoy. She's just someone who has fallen in with the wrong crowd and tried to fit in instead of being herself. It's something we all tend to do. She's not really evil or even someone who would join the Death Eaters if she could choose not to.

Once again, Hermione's impeccable ability to create terrible acronyms strikes! Although this one is pretty clever, I think.

Well, until next week, read, review and enjoy!


	19. 18: Halloween Activities

Author's Notes: Once again, a big thank you to all my readers out there. The hit count on this story is now OVER 9,000!! That will be the last 4chan reference I ever give. And a special thanks to my reviewers.

David Fishwick: Thank you for the support. Glad to see you like it so far.

ProfessorChris: I have you hooked! I'm doing my job correctly then. Thanks for the support.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was Pansy's remark to Megan that she would nail her head to the floor. This is taken from a sketch from the 14th episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. The sketch was titled "The Piranha Brothers" and featured the members of the group talking about the exploits of two mobsters and their associates. The interesting connection between this sketch and _Harry Potter_ itself are that the sketch was based partially on the real-life exploits of two real British mobster brothers; the Kray twins. And, as J.K. Rowling once recalled in one of her many interviews, they were so feared at one time that no one referred to them by name. It was from this that the fear of Lord Voldemort's name is inspired. By the way, if you can't spot the reference this week, you need to stop living under a rock. Everyone knows this one.

I can't believe I forgot to mention this in the previous chapter, but as far as I'm aware, Timed Quidditch is an invention of my own, designed to make the game a bit more fair than the version J.K. Rowling gave to us, both for the teams and the fans.

Well, time for the next chapter.

**Chapter 18: Halloween Activities**

To the outside world, October 30, 1997 was a Thursday, but it was a Friday's set of classes at Hogwarts. And Henry Gryffindor was on his way to the Quidditch pitch to practice with the rest of the Gryffindor reserve team. Although the Gryffindor reserve team didn't play until the end of November (when they would be playing the Slytherin reserve team after Ravenclaw played Hufflepuff that morning), Ron Weasley wanted to keep all his players sharp. Not that Henry complained about playing Quidditch every day of the week. It was just that he was getting tired of not being able to score a single goal against Mohammad, who was obviously going to become the first team's keeper next year. In all the practices he could remember, no one on the reserve team had been able to score on him when he guarded the goals. He was determined that today was the day that he would finally do the impossible and win an informal prize pool of what was now twenty Galleons from his teammates.

On his way to the pitch, he saw Megan returning from Herbology class. "Hey Megan, my dad wanted to talk to you when you have a free moment," he called out, seeing no one else around.

"Thanks," Megan replied as she continued to brush the dirt off her robes, "Good luck scoring on Mohammad."

"I'm going to need it," Henry agreed as they passed each other in the hallway and continued on their way. Megan went up to the second floor and found Geoff packing up to head out on the London Express back to London.

"Professor Gryffindor?" she inquired as she poker her head through the open door.

Geoff looked back at the door. "Ah, Miss Blaire, I wanted to speak with you," he commented as he sat down behind his desk, "Please, come in. This is rather important."

Megan closed the door behind her. She knew what those words meant. "So what are you going to do and when?" she inquired.

"I'm heading back to London on the train tonight and will be returning with Harry tomorrow morning," Geoff explained, "I forgot something for tomorrow night's Halloween Feast, anyway, so I have an excuse to leave the school. After the feast is over, you'll need to clear out the Slytherin common room by midnight. Harry will be waiting outside the Slytherin door at that time. He will then look for the source of your feelings about the common room. Everyone should be too stuffed to move once they go to bed, but you'll have to make sure Harry is not seen by anyone. Once Harry finds what we're looking for, he'll come back to my office and I will get him out of the school unnoticed. Understand?"

"How will you sneak Harry into the school?" Megan asked, "And how will he move around without being seen?"

"Oh, I don't want to ruin the surprise for you," Geoff replied with a smile, "But I assure you, this will be something you'll love."

Megan was a bit skeptical, but decided to go along with the plan. "Okay, I just need to clear everyone out of the common room and open the portrait at midnight," she repeated, "Sounds easy enough."

Geoffrey nodded. "Right, now, if you pull this off, I think I'll tell you about a secret club that desperately needs a Slytherin in it," Geoff promised, "And yes, I think Henry will be joining it soon enough."

Megan smiled. "Sounds good to me," she replied, "I won't let you down, I promise." She then left the room.

_She'll be a fine addition to Dumbledore's Army,_ Geoff thought as he continued to pack his things.

--

Geoff returned the following morning to Hogwarts, with Harry by his side, hidden under his Invisibility Cloak. As Geoff opened his office door, Harry walked into the room quickly as Geoff entered and closed the door behind him.

"Feels good to be back," Harry remarked as he took the cloak off, "Though I wish I could have gotten some toast at breakfast."

"Sorry Harry, but you can't be seen by anyone except Miss Blaire," Geoff reminded, "I can't have Crabbe and Goyle running off and telling anyone that they saw you here."

"I know, I know," Harry replied with disappointment, "So you're sure there's a Horcrux in the Slytherin common room?"

"If what Miss Blaire told me is true, then I have no reason to think not," Geoff assured, "It'll probably be hidden in a wall or something, though, so you'll have to do a thorough search for it."

Harry nodded. That wasn't unexpected. "But what about anything that may pop out when I get it, like that river troll back in the orphanage?" he asked, "If I can't handle it, I doubt a first year would be of any help."

"I am running on the assumption that this Horcrux is one of Voldemort's early ones, perhaps one he created while he was still at Hogwarts," Geoff replied, "Perhaps even the earliest one of them all. I know the diary was the second Horcrux he made, and that in and of itself only had the power of persuasion. I think its being hidden away was the most protection Voldemort could give this one. But if something comes up and you and Miss Blaire can't handle it, she'll go get Miss Parkinson."

Harry nodded. Geoff had told him about Pansy's change of heart, but he was still wary of her. "Lets just hope it doesn't come to that," he commented, "Now, at midnight, I'll be waiting outside the Slytherin common room under my Invisibility Cloak. Megan will open the door and let me in. Then I get to work finding the Horcrux."

"Correct," Geoff answered with a nod, "Once you find it, bring it back here and we'll destroy it. And then we'll deal with getting you out of here and back to Number Twelve without anyone knowing what happened here. But we won't worry about that until after the Horcrux is destroyed."

"Right," Harry agreed as he sat down in the far corner of the room, "I just wish I could see my friends while I'm here."

Geoff understood that Harry had been deprived of friendship for more than two months now, though Geoff thought he was taking things quite well considering the circumstances. But he simply could not risk Harry's presence in the castle becoming known to anyone except those who absolutely needed to know. "Harry, once this is said and done," Geoff assured, "You'll have all the time in the world for your friends."

Harry nodded in agreement. He was feeling a bit down about not seeing his friends in so long, but he was connecting well with Geoff and Gary and the letters to and from Ginny always lifted his spirits. "Are you expecting visitors today?" he inquired.

"At least six of them, yes," Geoff replied with a smile.

Harry was about to probe further into that answer when a knock came from the door. "Harry, get under the cloak!" Geoff whispered, though Harry was already a half-step ahead of him.

Once Geoff saw that Harry was gone, he went to the office door and opened it. "Ah, thank you Argus for getting them here so quickly," he greeted the Hogwarts caretaker warmly.

"I'm just wondering what you need these six suits of armor for," Filch replied, "Care to give me any insights?"

"You'll see for yourself tonight," Geoff denied the request, "Alright you rusty lot, get in!"

The six enchanted suits of armor marched into the room, one by one, stopping and standing in a line in front of Geoff's desk. Geoff nodded to Filch and closed the door, locking it before turning to the suits. "Under no circumstances are you to tell anyone who may be in this room besides me, understood?" he demanded.

All six suits of armor nodded their helmets to confirm their understanding. "Right then," Geoff replied, "I doubt you'll be able to hold your laughter in after I'm done with these six, so go on and come out of hiding, Harry."

As Harry removed the Invisibility Cloak again, he saw that all six suits had quickly turned their helmets in his direction, and those that could have their visors wide open, exposing their emptiness inside their helmets in a show of shock.

"Yes, yes, it's Harry Potter, I know," Geoff admitted, "You've all seen him before, I'm sure. He's here under my watch, so don't worry."

With this, the suits turned their attention back to Geoff, who grabbed something off of his desk and began to point to various parts of the armor, muttering various enchantments on it.

"What exactly are you doing?" Harry asked after about two minutes of this.

"If I get this right, you should get a real treat out of this," Geoff assured as he closed the face visor on the helmet, "Okay, lets give this a try." And with that, he pressed a button on the device he was holding.

The suit of armor immediately stood at attention and drew its sword as a tune that Harry recognized immediately began playing.

"We're Knights of the Round Table. We dance when ere we're able," the suit began singing in a deep masculine voice with its visor moving up and down in sync with the words it was singing, "We do routines and chorus scenes with footwork impeccable."

The suit continued to sing and began to dance as Harry and Geoff doubled over in laughter. Once Geoff was able to gain control of himself again, he proceeded to do the same modifications to the other five suits.

"Hermione will love this," Harry commented.

"I don't know if she even pays attention to this sort of stuff," Geoff pointed out.

"I think she'll know this one, though," Harry replied, "She has to. Who else is going to explain this to Ron?"

Geoff and Harry shared another laugh at this comment.

--

Megan was still giggling occasionally from the display she had seen at the Halloween feast as she sat in the Slytherin common room, waiting for midnight to come. At this time, it was a mere five minutes away. As Geoff had requested, everyone had been cleared out of the common room. Megan thought she would have to somehow encourage people to leave, but it seemed that everyone was stuffed and retired to their rooms early, leaving her alone for now.

The festivities brightened the mood of the Hogwarts students considerably, given that rumors that an Azkaban break out had just occurred yesterday. That was another thing she would have to ask Professor Gryffindor about. But whatever was going wrong in the outside world, everything seemed fine at Hogwarts.

Megan waited for the clock in the Slytherin common room to hit midnight, which it finally did. She immediately got up and walked over to the entrance, opening it slowly and looking out to make sure no one was watching in the hallway. Looking down both ways, Megan saw nothing at all in the hallway. _I wonder where he is,_ she thought as she waited for Harry.

"Close the door," she heard a male voice whisper from inside the common room.

Startled and not recognizing the voice, Megan quickly looked back into the common room to see who was speaking. But again, she saw no one there. "Who's there?" she demanded quietly, "Where are you?"

"Close the door, and I'll show you," the voice replied.

Sensing that this presence was not a threatening one, Megan obliged and shut the door to the common room. "Are you some kind of ghost?" she asked as she looked back into the room.

"Oh no, I'm not dying yet," Harry replied as he removed the Invisibility Cloak that surrounded him, revealing himself to Megan's sight for the first time.

Initially, this caught her completely by surprise. Megan backed into the door she just closed, startled by the sudden appearance of this young man.

"Sorry, didn't mean to frighten you," the young man apologized, "But I needed to get around without being seen."

Megan still didn't know what to do until she caught sight of the young man's brilliant green eyes, which triggered something in her memory. _"He has his mother's green eyes,"_ she recalled Professor Gryffindor telling her once. "Are you Harry Potter?" she asked cautiously.

He nodded. "That would be me, yes," Harry answered, "You must be Megan Blaire, right?"

"Yeah, that's me," she replied as she studied the famous wizard in the glow of the green lamps. He was about six feet tall and was wearing brown robes over his thin body. He wore round glasses and had messy black hair. And between some of the strands of hair that covered about half of his forehead, she saw a thin scar, shaped like a bolt of lightning, on the right side of his forehead. She guessed that was where Voldemort had tried and failed to kill Harry.

"So, you have any ideas where this Horcrux may be?" he asked, "I can feel it around here somewhere."

Megan shook her head. She knew that something in this room caused her to feel slightly depressed, but not what it was exactly or even where it was. "I suppose it might be hidden in one of the walls somewhere," she guessed, "Is there any way you can figure out for sure?"

"Yeah, by finding it," Harry replied simply as he walked over to the wall and began to walk around the edge of the room slowly. A frown was growing across his face as he made his way around the room.

"Is something wrong?" Megan inquired.

"It can't be in any of these walls," Harry explained, "I'm not feeling its presence getting stronger or weaker as I move around the edge of this room." He then walked into the middle of the room and stopped suddenly. "But it's stronger here," he noted as he looked up to the roof of the common room and shook his head when he saw there was nothing up there.

"Are you saying it's in the middle of the room?" Megan inquired.

Harry nodded his head. "It must be," he affirmed, "But there's no chandelier to hide it in above us." He walked away from the middle of the room to make sure he was right about that. As he did, the floorboards that he was standing on gave out an audible creak.

Megan noticed that immediately. "It's under the floor," she muttered, "It has to be."

Harry returned to the middle of the room and laid himself down on the floor. "Yeah, it feels stronger down here," he confirmed as he got back and his feet and crouched down, "I just need to get under these things." He then began attempting to pry the floorboards out with his hands.

This struck Megan as an odd thing to do, considering that he could use magic. "Why don't you just use your wand?" she inquired.

"No, he would have thought of that," Harry pointed out as he continued to scrape at the floorboards, "He would have magically sealed these boards up to hide the Horcrux. But I think I can remove them like this."

Almost as if on a cue, Harry was able to slip a couple of his fingers underneath on of the boards. Almost effortlessly, he lifted the floorboard up and out of the way. However, Harry couldn't tell what was underneath until he removed four more boards.

"It's a staircase," he remarked as he pulled out his wand, "_Lumos_."

With that, a beam of light was emitted from Harry's wand. Megan thought it looked something like a flashlight beam. Harry shined the light into the opening in the floor. "It's a spiral staircase," he reported, "I'm going down there."

"I'll come with you," Megan said as she pulled out her wand and approached Harry.

"I don't think you should," he cautioned, "There's no telling what may be down there."

"Even if that's the case, I think it's better for us to face it together than for you to do it alone," she pointed out.

"Okay, fine," Harry relented as he stood up and got on the first stair, "But stay behind me."

Megan nodded as the two began their descent down the staircase. The stairs only went around once and went down about seven feet before they came upon a small circular chamber. As Harry scanned the chamber with the light from his wand, Megan caught a brief golden flash from the opposite side of the room. "What was that?" she asked.

"What did you see?" Harry inquired.

"I thought I saw a flash or sparkle of some kind from the opposite side of this room," Megan informed, "It was about halfway up the wall."

Harry turned the light toward the spot Megan had indicated. Indeed, about halfway up the wall there from the floor was something that shined with a golden light. "There is something there," he remarked as he slowly approached the source of the shine, with Megan right behind him. As he got closer to the object, he saw that it wasn't just gold. It also had pieces of red, blue, and green in it. And as they came up next to the object, he finally saw what it was.

"It's a necklace," Harry informed as he looked at the thick golden chain, embedded with multiple rubies, sapphires, and emeralds. Around its back, a series of gold, linked chains with a fastener attached would allow one to attach the ornament around their neck.

"It's beautiful," Megan commented as she reached for the necklace.

Seeing this, Harry grabbed her hand immediately. "No, don't!" he half-shouted, "This is the Horcrux. It could be dangerous."

"Then how are we supposed to destroy it?" she inquired.

"I'll take it," he answered, "I don't want you to get hurt by it." And with that, Harry quickly moved his left hand in to snatch the necklace from its resting spot. That was not a wise decision.

"AHH!" Harry shouted in pain before Megan could muffle his cries with her hand.

"I guess you didn't know what you were doing, either," Megan commented as she looked at Harry's left hand, "Oh my goodness! Your hand!"

Not much could compare to the actual pain Harry had felt upon attempting to grab the necklace, but what he saw from his left hand made him wince. Already, entire parts of his left hand were turning into a burnt black mess. It reminded him of what Dumbledore's arm looked like after his encounter with the ring Horcrux. Suddenly, Harry was now extremely afraid for his future well-being.

"Megan, reach for the necklace slowly," Harry instructed his companion once she let go of his mouth, "It may be a speed-triggered trap."

Megan nodded as she slowly pushed her right hand toward the necklace. She winced slightly as she felt a small burning sensation, but it never became anything more than that as she was able to grab the necklace itself and remove it from its place. "I got it," she muttered.

"Now lets get out of here," Harry instructed her, "I may need some help getting back to Geoff's office on the second floor."

"You got it," she replied as she helped Harry up the spiral staircase.

--

"That was a close call," Geoff remarked as he finished his work on Harry's left arm, "Another minute, and that curse would have been a death sentence. I'm sorry Harry, I should have known that Voldemort was going to use that curse on this Horcrux. It's the same one that afflicted Dumbledore when he found the ring."

"If I'm going to be okay, then you don't need to apologize," Harry assured, "What about Megan?"

"She'll be fine," Geoff replied, "She has a few blisters on her hand, but nothing serious. Nothing that'll be lethal, anyway."

Megan winced at the pain she was still feeling on her arm. "Easy for you to say," she complained, "These burns hurt like hell."

Harry groaned. "At least your arm isn't charred," he reminded her as he looked at his left arm again and wanted dearly to think that it wasn't his own. Geoff's spells had reduced some of the pain, but it still hurt a lot. And the revulsion of seeing a part of his own body in this condition was weighing heavily in his mind. "Will this thing ever heal?" he asked Geoff, remembering how Dumbledore's arm never recovered.

"Given enough time, yes," Geoff affirmed, "But it'll take at least a month, perhaps even three, before it returns to normal. Dark curses like those are always tricky to deal with effectively, but I'm confident that your arm will recover on its own from here on out, so long as nothing else happens to it."

"Right," Harry replied, "Well, at least Umbridge's damage will be gone once my arm heals, right?"

"Oh yes, her damage to your hand has been erased," Geoff agreed, "Nasty bit of work she did to you. I would have killed her if I saw her doing it myself." He then took out his wand. "I'll take the honor of eliminating this abomination," he stated as he pointed his wand at the necklace on his desk, "_Avada Kedavra_."

And with that, a green jet coursed through the air between the tip of his wand and struck the necklace, which gave out a bone-chilling cry and quickly ceased. "And good riddance," Harry remarked, "One left to go."

Geoff nodded as he picked up the necklace and examined it closely. "That's interesting," he stated, "It isn't damaged at all. No fractures at all."

"Is that bad?" Megan inquired.

"No, it's just that these items are usually damaged in some way when the soul inside is destroyed," Geoff explained, "You know Harry, Christmas is just around the corner. I think I know of someone you could gift this to."

Harry smiled as he caught on. "I think she'd love it," he replied.

"Is there anything else you need from me, Professor Gryffindor?" Megan inquired.

"I don't believe so, Miss Blaire," Geoff answered, "You should probably go back to your room and get some sleep."

"Yes sir," she replied as she left the room and worked her way back to the Slytherin common room entrance, having to avoid Mrs. Norris along the way.

"Harry, the London Express leaves for London again tomorrow morning," Geoff informed Harry, "I think you should go back to Grimmauld Place on that one."

Harry nodded in agreement.

--

Author's Notes: I really don't have much to say about this one. New chapter next week. Until then, read, review and enjoy.


	20. 19: Dedication

Author's Notes: Thank you to all my readers out there, who have now pushed this story to well over 10,000 hits. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: The last Horcrux won't be coming for a while, I'll tell you that right now. As Harry is injured, that quest will have to be put on hold. Thanks for your support.

Fugatad: Okay, the necklace was my take on the Ravenclaw item that Riddle used as a Horcrux. I decided to make it a beautiful gold necklace, encrusted with various precious gems. Rowling used a diadem instead and hid it in the Room of Requirement. That's really all I have to say about the necklace. Thanks for your support.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was one I hope everyone got. It was the suit of armor singing the beginning of the infamous "Knights of the Round Table" song from "Monty Python and the Holy Grail." A classic, to be sure, but not the best of the Monty Python movies.

Well now, on with the next chapter.

**Chapter 19: Dedication**

"So Euan, are you going to be ready for Saturday?" Ritchie Coote asked Euan Abercrombie during Potions on Thursday afternoon.

Euan chuckled as he started stirring the potion in his cauldron. "Of course I'm ready," he replied confidently, "Slytherin won't know what hit them."

The first set of school Quidditch matches were coming up in a couple of days and, like always, tensions were getting high between Slytherin and Gryffindor (and, by connection, Hufflepuff and Ravenclaw). This tension had been reduced somewhat by Headmistress McGonagall's announcement that there would be two commentators for each game, one from both houses involved. However, the added tensions from an escalation in hostilities outside the school were drawing clear lines between the Hogwarts houses and were causing isolated fistfights in the hallways, which made Professors Slughorn and Gryffindor extremely unhappy. They, along with several other teachers, were starting to remind their students to act civil toward their fellow classmates. Slughorn had given such words to this class of third year Gryffindors and Slytherins, but those words were extremely far away from Euan and Ritchie's minds as they were working on a rather routine potion for healing bad cuts.

"You think Ron was serious about us doing two practices a day if we lose?" Ritchie inquired as he began stirring his potion.

"I say it's better if we don't find out if he's serious or not by winning," Euan answered as he chopped up one of the snake fangs.

Suddenly, Ritchie sniffed the air audibly. "Do you smell that?" he inquired, "It smells like burnt wood."

Euan sniffed the air as he added the chopped up snake fangs to his cauldron. He too smelled burnt wood, but decided it was nothing as he chopped up the second fang. The scent was rather pleasant, anyway. As he was about to add this fang to his potion, he noticed that his potion was now a bright shade of red that appeared to be pulsating rapidly. "Um, Ritchie, what color is this potion supposed to turn after we add the snake fangs?" he inquired nervously.

Ritchie quickly looked through the directions until he came to the step Euan was on. "Uh, it says it should be a dim green," he reported.

"You sure about that?" Euan asked as he looked back toward Ritchie but kept his right arm near the cauldron.

At that moment, all hell broke loose as the contents of Euan's cauldron exploded into the air, drenching Euan's arm with red liquid as he fell to the floor and clutched his right arm. "God dammit!" he shouted in pain.

Professor Slughorn came bounding over to check on what had happened and saw that the skin on Euan's right hand was starting to look a bit patchy. Immediately, Slughorn knew what was happening and quickly picked up the student by his left shoulder. "Someone get the door!" he shouted as he moved as quickly as he could toward the dungeon room's door on his way to the Medical Wing.

----------

Two hours later, the other six members of the Gryffindor Quidditch team had gathered around the bed that Euan was lying on. His right arm was now completely wrapped up with a special solution on the inside.

"What exactly happened to him?" Ron asked Professor Slughorn and Madam Pomfrey.

"It's my fault, I should have been more careful," Slughorn admitted, "His snake fangs were impure. Usually, that's not a problem, but in this potion it caused an extremely volatile reaction which caused it to explode."

"The liquid then started to eat away the skin on Mr. Abercrombie's right arm," Madam Pomfrey continued, "He's lucky that Professor Slughorn knows his potions as he does, or he could have lost his arm entirely. But he'll recover and keep his arm."

"So he'll be okay to play on Saturday?" Ron inquired hopefully.

Madam Pomfrey shook her head immediately. "He'll need a week to recover, Mr. Weasley, so he's out for your game on Saturday," she informed the Gryffindor captain, "There's nothing I can do about that."

"You can't be serious," Ron muttered as he grabbed at his forehead.

Euan heard and understood what he heard, though he didn't want to believe it. "I can't believe this is happening," he muttered.

"It's alright, Euan," Ginny assured, "We'll just have to call up someone from the reserves, that's all."

Euan moaned in despair more than in pain. He really didn't want to miss Saturday's game. "All of that practice time for nothing," he complained.

"Mate, you just get some rest," Dean Thomas suggested, "We'll get it done for you."

"I'm sorry, but Mr. Abercrombie needs his rest now," Madam Pomfrey announced loudly, "So I must ask all of you to leave."

"See you later, Euan," Ron called as the team left the room with Professor Slughorn.

"Oh, Miss Weasley, can I see you in my office now?" he asked her.

"Yes Professor," Ginny affirmed as she followed him back down to the dungeons of the castle. As she entered Professor Slughorn's office, she noticed that a small cauldron was on a green fire on his desk.

"What's in that cauldron?" she inquired.

"This is Felix Felicis, my dear pupil," Slughorn answered, "Or at least it will be once it is finished. A little favor I owe to Geoffrey. But this is actually the reason I asked you to come here."

"Yes?" Ginny said, wanting him to explain.

"You see, one of the ingredients of Felix Felicis is a certain type of blood," Professor Slughorn explained as he searched through his desk for a couple of items, "And I believe you have this type of blood."

"Is it a special blood type?" Ginny questioned.

"Ah, no, not quite that way," he answered, obviously not wanting to explain what he meant, "The Felix Felicis potion requires the blood of a wizard or witch who has not had . . . er, a relationship."

Ginny rolled her eyes. _Why is it so hard to get old people to just come out and say things?_ she wondered to herself. "You mean someone who hasn't had sex," she stated.

Slughorn started a little before replying, "Yes, yes, that's exactly what I meant. Would you be willing to contribute, or are you unable to?"

"This is for Harry, isn't it?" Ginny said.

"Well, I don't know what Geoffrey is going to do with this potion, but I'm sure his intentions are good," Horace clarified.

Ginny had already made up her mind. "What do I have to do?" she inquired.

Slughorn brought into view a small knife with a silver handle and a small, corked vial. "All you need to do is fill this vial with your blood," he explained as he walked toward Ginny, "It's not much at all, just be careful with the knife; it needs to be sterile."

"_I made a commitment._

_I'm willing to bleed for you . . . "_

----------

A knock came from the front door of Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place later that afternoon. Gary walked to the door and gazed through the peephole at the man who had just knocked on the door. "Password?" Gary demanded.

"Don't even make me tell you to keep your mouth shut!" the man outside half-shouted.

"Right," Gary replied as he opened the door and let the man inside and shut the door behind him, "Severus! I thought you had been killed!"

"Not yet," Snape replied, "But there's no way the Ministry can stand for much longer. I'd give it two months, at most."

"Tell me something I don't know," Gary replied as they walked further into the house, "Geoff has been worried about you."

Severus nodded. He knew about all the disappearances and murders that had been going on over the past few weeks; in fact, he had been a part of a few. He didn't need to tell Geoff about that; he already knew and understood that he was still a double agent. To stay alive, Geoff knew that every gain Severus gave to him had to be offset somewhere else. And Geoff's staying alive meant that it was usually someone in the Order of the Phoenix who suffered for Geoff's gains.

"How is Draco doing?" Snape inquired.

"He's been at Wonder Boy's throat a bit still, but I think they're starting to get along better now," Gary answered, "Harry has a way with forgiveness, from what I understand."

Severus nodded. He knew that to be a fact. A fact which he was afraid would doom them all.

----------

Harry was returning to his room from dinner when he saw Draco Malfoy walking toward him down the hallway. He lowered his head the moment he saw Harry coming toward him.

_This is getting ridiculous,_ Harry complained to himself. "Draco, we have to talk," Harry began, "Or else we're just going to end up killing each other."

The young man with pale blonde hair stopped and slowly looked up. His grayish-blue eyes reminded Harry of the incident they had less than a year ago in Myrtle's bathroom. Harry could tell they were not the eyes of a killer. And he knew what a killer's eyes looked like. He knew that all too well, and so did Draco.

"What do you want?" Draco's asked coldly, though Harry could tell that Draco agreed with what he had just said and desperately wanted this as well. He just couldn't find the words to say it.

"I hear your father was busted out of Azkaban," Harry answered, grabbing onto the first thing he could think of that he could talk about with Draco, "Do you have any ideas where he might be?"

"At the Dark Lord's side, that's where," he answered, "He has no other choice at this point. And my mother will be next to him. She's the one holding our family together now."

Harry nodded. "Do you think you'll be seeing them soon?" he inquired.

Draco nodded. "Snape says that I'll be accompanying him the next time he leaves this house and that I'll be seeing them at that time," he replied, "And we're probably going to have a very long conversation about all that's happened over the past few years."

Harry nodded, seeing how that was definitely in order. "I think you made a mistake by working for him," Harry pointed out.

Draco gave a sarcastic laugh. "You only just figured that out, Potter?" he inquired derisively, "Of course I made a mistake. And if I could turn back the hands of time and undo all I've done, I would. But I can't. You happy now?"

"What do you mean?" Harry asked, confused by that last comment.

"You always wanted to see me tumble down," Draco explained, "You always wanted to see me down and out. Well, congratulations. I've tumbled down. I'm down and out. I found out the hard way that I can't be what I always talked about being. I found out the hard way that I'm pathetic. You've beaten me, just like you always wanted to. You won. Congratulations."

Those words stung Harry quite harshly. He wanted to deny all those things, but he had to agree with Draco on this one. They had never liked each other, and they had come to see each other as rivals. And seeing Malfoy in this state did indeed satisfy Harry in some way.

_But I never saw it happening like this,_ Harry thought, _It wasn't supposed to be like this. I didn't beat him. He beat himself._

"Draco, I never really wanted you to get hurt like you have been," Harry assured, "I know what it feels like . . . "

"You have no idea what it feels like to be where I am!" Draco exploded in anger, "You have no idea what it feels like to realize that all the words you've said all your life were just words, with no action behind them! You have no idea what it feels like to realize that you are nothing! You have no idea how it feels like to have the threat of death over your head! You have no idea what it's like to realize that I will never be able to make my father proud of me!"

Harry couldn't let this pass. "Draco, I may be wrong, but it seems like people have been trying to kill me since the day I was born," he reminded, "And at least you know your father. All I have are those few pictures and those memories others have of him."

This reminder derailed Draco's tantrum from its tracks. But it only took a moment to find a new line to run on. "But look what you have in return," he retorted, "Fame, fortune and glory. You're going to be remembered as the one who saved the Wizarding World once this is over. Me? If I'm remembered at all, it'll be for all the mistakes I've made. How I got Dumbledore killed, how I helped the Dark Lord's resurgence. You'll be a hero to millions, maybe even billions. I'll be nothing but a faceless villain, that's all. Your picture will be praised for generations to come!"

"You think I wanted all this?" Harry exclaimed, "You think I wanted my parents to be murdered? You think I wanted to live with a family that hated me for more than ten years? You think I like having a bull's-eye on me all the time? You think I wanted this fame? Let me tell you this, Malfoy. If I could trade all this fame, fortune and glory for a normal life, for a life with my parents and siblings, I'd do it in an instant. I never wanted this! I never asked for it!"

Draco had no way to keep this going any longer. A lot of things that he had once thought of Harry Potter had just went flying out the window. In fact, the Harry Potter he once thought he knew was gone forever. Here was the real Harry Potter, and he wasn't the fame-hunting, glory-seeking punk he always thought he was. He was just an ordinary wizard who was in over his head. _No, he's not in over his head,_ Draco corrected himself, _He's just staying afloat. I'm the one who's in over his head._

Draco struggled with finding what to say next. He wanted to say that he was sorry, but those words just wouldn't come. "How do you manage to keep yourself from thinking it's all hopeless?" he asked instead, "I mean, we're up against ridiculous odds here. The only thing keeping us safe is the secrecy of some shady figures."

Harry had to think about that one for a moment before he found an adequate response. "Well, you have to always look on the bright side of life, I guess," he answered.

"What is that supposed to mean?" Draco inquired.

"You have to keep what we are fighting for in mind," Harry replied, "You have to think about what we'll have waiting for us when this is all over."

Malfoy nodded as he began walking again and passed by Harry in the hallway. "It was good talking to you, Potter," he said as he departed.

"Likewise," Harry replied as he walked up to his room.

Draco had to think for a moment about that last statement from Harry. _What will I have to go back to when this is over?_ he wondered to himself. His family's reputation was ruined either way; Voldemort would never give him respect because of both his failure and that of his father, and the Ministry would see his father back in prison and all of his own wrongs laid bare to the public in the quest for scapegoats. He would have a tough time either way, no matter how it ended.

But then he thought about his friends, the ones who would forgive him. Crabbe, Goyle, Pansy . . . _I guess that's what friends are for,_ he thought, _To lean on in bad times. To be there when you need them most. Harry's always relied on his friends. Why can't I rely on mine?_ Feeling partially assured by this, Draco continued on his way.

----------

Author's Notes: Ah, this is one of the chapters I've been dying to get to, especially for the last section of it. It seems that human beings always desire two things: fame and fortune. However, Harry has both, but would give all of it up to have a normal family life (at least, this is what I would think is true). Are fame and fortune really not as great as they sound?

My answer to that question is that it depends on if you feel like you have earned them. Traditionally, the hero of a story often starts out as a nobody and becomes something of a savior figure by the end. Harry's story is different in that Harry begins the story already a hero in the Wizarding world, so he is introduced to having fame and fortune when he himself feels that he hasn't earned it. In that sense, the _Harry Potter_ series is the story of Harry trying to earn what so many have already given to him.

Obviously, a big chapter in terms of character development. Until next week, everyone!


	21. 20: Hazan's Debut

Author's Notes: Well, thank you to all my readers in the past week (I really can't keep track of how many hits my stories have garnered now). And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Yeah, it was about time that Harry and Draco had a discussion about things without grabbing at each other's throats. And it was about time that Draco saw the real Harry Potter, and not the image that he had of him. As for the thing involving Ginny and Professor Slughorn, I thought it was more embarassing for Slughorn to ask that question of her than for her to answer it. I tried to show this with Slughorn's sttempts to dance around the words he wanted to say and Ginny's annoyance at this and just blatently saying it. I thought Ginny would look at this as more of an annoyance than anything else. She knows Professor Slughorn would never blackmail her or anything like that. Thanks for your support.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was Harry telling Draco to always look on the bright side of life. This comes from _Monty Python's Life of Brian_. "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" is probably the one thing everyone who watched that movie remembered the most about it.

Well, I got nothing else to say at the moment, so lets get back to the action.

**Chapter 20: Hazan's Debut**

"So, Hazan it is?" Ron asked.

The six Gryffindor Quidditch teammates who were still healthy to play gathered in the Gryffindor common room on Friday to discuss who would replace the injured Euan Abercrombie in tomorrow's match against Slytherin. However, there wasn't really much to discuss, as all the reports from the reserve team and everyone's observations at the first team tryouts pointed to one player being the best chaser on the reserve team.

"I'm just not sure," Jimmy Peakes began to voice his concern, "I mean, the tryouts were about a month ago, and Hazan has been playing keeper in the reserves, not chaser. He may have gotten a bit rusty at the position."

"Just because he plays keeper doesn't mean he's a terrible chaser," Ron reminded, "He's probably a damn good beater and an adequate seeker as well. He plays keeper because he's good at it and no one else on the reserve team is. The kid can fly."

"He did seem rather belligerent, though," Ginny pointed out.

"Only because he really wanted to make the team," Demelza Robins answered.

"I think we should let our chasers have the last word on this one," Ron said, bringing the debate to its final stage.

"We had never played with Mohammad before that tryout," Dean Thomas began, "But after the first few runs, we were moving and shooting as if he had played with us for years. I have no problems playing with him."

"My only concern is that his aggression might get him into trouble during the game," Demelza said, "That it may cause him to make bad judgements if he gets a little flustered. Slytherin can be especially good at doing that to him. If he fails the first few times, he might start forcing things he really shouldn't."

"But that can happen to any young player," Dean reminded, "And I'd like to see the Slytherin players bully him around. I'd like to see what Slytherin does when they get hit in the mouth for a change."

"So I take it you want Hazan to replace Abercrombie for this game?" Ron inquired.

"Absolutely," Dean replied immediately.

Demelza nodded. "He's the best we got in the reserves," she explained, "Though I would like some practice time with him before tomorrow's match."

"Agreed," Ginny said, "We have the pitch in an hour. If it's official, I'll go find Mohammad and tell him to report to practice."

Ron nodded. "Make sure he isn't a second late," he added, "See you all in an hour on the pitch."

And with that, the team went their separate ways, with Ginny heading down to the library. She knew exactly where Mohammad was right now.

----------

"That's ridiculous," Mohammad said.

"Shh," Henry hushed his friend's voice, "Not only are we in the library, but there's a spy nearby as well."

Mohammad snickered as he looked back across the room. Indeed, Megan was still there, reading her textbooks. While Henry and Megan were becoming best friends, when it came to Quidditch, they were still on opposite sides of the most heated rivalry in the school. And while Mohammad dismissed Henry's warning for being playfully paranoid, Megan was indeed trying to gain any knowledge about the Gryffindor reserve team's strategy for their upcoming match in a few weeks. She had been named the captain of the Slytherin reserve team, so she felt it was her responsibility to gain any kind of edge over her opponents. She hadn't been able to figure out anything new yet, but she was going to keep listening for words and watching for hand gestures that could give something away.

"Henry, she's just studying," Mohammad pointed out quietly, "Your old man has a test in store for us next week, you know."

"Doesn't mean she can't spy on us in the meantime," Henry noted, "Now keep your mouth shut while we go over this."

However, before they could continue, they heard a familiar voice from the library doorway. "Mohammad? Can I speak with you for a moment?" Ginny inquired.

Mohammad looked over to the door. "Yeah, sure," he replied as he stood up and left the library. Henry followed him, but forgot to take his Quidditch notes with him.

"What do you want?" Mohammad asked.

"I want you to report to the Quidditch pitch in 55 minutes, and not a second later," Ginny answered, "You're going to be playing chaser tomorrow against Slytherin. You'll get your uniform and broom at practice. Remember, don't be late." She then walked away.

Mohammad just stood in place for a moment, the words not quite registering due to shock.

"Mohammad! You're gonna play tomorrow!" Henry shouted from behind him.

Mohammad turned around and smiled as this finally dawned on him. Henry walked toward Mohammad, his right hand extended out in front of him. Mohammad slapped his right hand with Henry's as they began walking back into the library.

"You think you're going to be ready for this?" Henry inquired quietly as he gathered up his diagrams.

"Of course I'm ready," Mohammad answered as he picked up his belongings, "They wouldn't have asked me if I wasn't."

"Fair point," Henry replied as they left the library and went back to the Gryffindor common room.

As they left, Megan began drawing out the diagrams of Henry's Quidditch plays that she could remember from her brief look at them while Henry was gone. And in the Gryffindor-Slytherin reserve team match later in November, she would become the first person to actually score a goal on Mohammad Hazan, doing it off a turnover on one of those plays she just drew. The achievement would win her 60 Galleons, courtesy of the other six players on the Gryffindor reserve team.

----------

"Mohammad, you're going to want to cut left in that situation," Ritchie Coote informed Hazan after he turned right to exit Ron's scoring area, "It's faster, you know."

Mohammad was a little annoyed by this comment, but he didn't show it. "Right," he called back. He knew he screwed up on that one. He had to be more aware of his surroundings now.

"It's okay, man, just be aware which side of the zone you're in," Ron reminded the first year player, "If the shot isn't there, distract, pass back, and get out as quickly as you can."

Hazan nodded in reply, though inside he felt that this play style was a little too complicated. It wasn't that he couldn't play the "Gryffindor way," it just didn't suit him. Which is why he liked playing keeper on the reserve team. At that position, he didn't have to worry about complicated plays or anything like that. All he needed to do was block shots in any way he was able to. Here, he had to fit into a system that was completely foreign to him. And after two hours of practice, he was only just starting to understand it.

"Alright everyone! Bring it in!" Ron called as the sun started to go below the horizon, signaling that it was time to end all outdoor activities for the day. Ron felt that the team would be fine tomorrow, but Hazan was definitely a weakness that needed to be overcome. He was good, but the lack of practice with the first team made him look very average.

"Very nice practice, everyone," Ginny called as they all gathered around the middle of the pitch, "Especially you, Mohammad."

"I was terrible," Hazan disagreed.

"Well, it was your first practice with us, mate," Dean pointed out, "You just need to get used to our play style and your position."

Mohammad nodded, knowing Dean was right. Henry would help him through the play book tonight before bed, anyway, so he'd be okay for tomorrow.

"Alright guys, Harry may not be here, but we're still the best damn team Hogwarts has ever seen!" Ron boasted. The other team members noted their agreement to this statement loudly.

"And tomorrow, Slytherin is going to be outplayed in every way you can possibly imagine," Ginny continued, "Our beaters are going to outhit theirs, our chasers are going to outscore theirs, our keeper is going to out save theirs, and I'm going to catch the Golden Snitch!"

Another round of loud cheering went up. "Study what we went over in practice tonight," Ron began to conclude, "Get a good night's sleep. Breakfast is tomorrow at 8:00 A.M., where we'll have our final team discussion before suiting up. Game starts at 11:00 A.M., but we'll be ready by 10:50. And then we will demolish our hated rival and begin our campaign for another Quidditch Cup!"

At this comment, the loudest cheer went up from the Gryffindor players. They were highly motivated to win, now more then ever. They had lost their best player because he needed to fulfill his destiny and defeat the face of an enemy more terrifying than any other their world had seen before. And they all knew the penalty if Harry Potter failed. As Professor Gryffindor had put it to Hermione before, this was a war they simply couldn't afford to lose. To the Gryffindor players, the Slytherin team tomorrow would be the embodiment of the evil schemes of Lord Voldemort and his followers. And Gryffindor would not fall to evil. Not now, not ever.

As the team departed from the Quidditch pitch, Professor Gryffindor was waiting behind the stands for Mohammad. He called for Hazan when he saw him.

"Professor Gryffindor?" Mohammad inquired.

"Mohammad, you did well out there today," Geoffrey assured the first year student, "You just need to stop trying so hard and let your body do what it needs to do. Don't try to control your actions, just let things happen. You'll be fine tomorrow, trust me."

Hazan nodded at this advice. "Thank you sir," he replied.

"One more thing," Geoff began, "Slytherin will want to push you around. Normally, Gryffindor players are more finesse players than rough players, but you're an exception. If Slytherin tries to push you around, you should push back. They may not be ready to be hit with their own medicine; Gryffindor has never done it before, if my memory serves me correctly."

"What will they try to do to me?" Mohammad asked, almost wanting some provocation to start letting the punches fly.

"Don't you go looking for a fight now, Mr. Hazan," Gryffindor warned him, "But the Slytherin beaters may say they mistook your head for a Bludger. Just be careful when you're flying near anyone wearing green for bats and elbows."

Mohammad nodded. "Thank you Professor Gryffindor," he said as he rejoined his team. He took the teacher's words to heart; he would let Slytherin know he was not to be fooled around with tomorrow morning.

----------

"Good morning, witches and wizards!" Henry Gryffindor called through his enchanted microphone on Saturday morning, "Welcome to Hogwarts Pitch. The weather is beautiful today, not a cloud in sight, as we get set to see the first team Eternal Rivalry this morning between Gryffindor and Slytherin. I'm Henry Gryffindor, commentating along with Megan Blaire."

"From what I understand Henry, these two teams really don't like each other," Megan commented.

"That's an understatement, Megan," Henry replied with a short chuckle, "These two teams absolutely hate each other, especially under the present circumstances. For Gryffindor, Chaser Euan Abercrombie is a scratch for today. He was seriously injured in potions class on Thursday and is being withheld from this game by Madam Pomfrey. Replacing him is first year Mohammad Hazan."

"You played with him on the reserve team," Megan pointed out, "How good is he?"

"Well, we actually had him playing Keeper, not Chaser," Henry answered, "But he's the best player on the Gryffindor reserve team, without a doubt. He'll be a starter next year. I'm sure of that."

"The Slytherin team today is missing none of their starters," Megan reported, "It will be Urquhart, the captain, at Keeper; Vaisley, Harper, and Pritchard as the Chasers; Crabbe and Goyle as the Beaters; and Baddock at Seeker. A highly experienced Slytherin team, with four seventh years playing today. And in a heated rivalry like this one, I say that experience will help Slytherin win today."

"Just a minute, Megan, the Gryffindor team has a lot of experience as well," Henry retorted, "With Ron Weasley, the captain, at Keeper; Thomas, Robins, and Hazan as the Chasers; Coote and Peakes as the Beaters; and Ginerva Weasley at Seeker. Two seventh year players on this team and they have the experience advantage where it counts most: Seeker. Weasley is a sixth year and has played on this level at Seeker before in the most crucial of situations. Malcolm Baddock is a fourth year student who has never played at this level before. Gryffindor definitely has the advantage at Seeker, so I am picking Gryffindor to win today."

"Well of course you'd pick Gryffindor to win," Megan said, "But here come the players onto the pitch now."

While they were watching the players come out onto the pitch, Megan decided to engage in some small talk with her co-announcer. "This is actually quite exciting," she stated, "It's not much different from going to a football match."

Henry chuckled. "It seems pathetic, but there are more people here right now than I have ever seen at any of my local club's games," he admitted.

Megan looked at Henry, surprised that he watched Muggle sports. "You watch football?" she inquired.

Henry nodded. "Go Bloaters," he said.

"Who?" Megan asked. She had never heard of a football club named "Bloaters."

"The Great Yarmouth Town Football Club Bloaters," Henry explained, "They play in the Eastern Counties Football League."

"What step in the system is that?" she inquired.

"Uh, levels nine and ten, if I remember correctly," he answered.

"What about a team that is more well known?" Megan asked.

"You mean in the Premiership?" Henry inquired.

"Not necessarily the Premiership, but a team that people outside your local community would know about," she explained.

Henry sat back in his seat and thought about that for a moment. "I guess I'll go with Norwich City," Henry replied after a few seconds, "They're in Division One right now. Who do you cheer for?"

"Well, I'm from Manchester, so . . . ," Megan began.

"You cheer for Manchester City, then?" Henry asked.

Megan looked at Henry as if he had just grown another two heads. "Why would I waste my time with those losers?" she asked hypothetically.

"Don't tell me you cheer for Man U," Henry declared.

"Go Red Devils," she said simply with a smile.

"Oh, give me a break," he muttered, "No one in Manchester cheers for Manchester United."

"My family has always been Manchester United fans," she defended.

"What's the point in being a fan when you know your team is going to win?" Henry asked, more to himself than anyone else. Megan also thought he muttered something about David Beckham, but she wasn't certain of that.

"We have a packed house here at Hogwarts," Henry announced to the crowd as the players began to take their places to begin the game, "The stands are filled with red, gold, green and silver as we get ready for this match."

"I can feel the intensity in the stands, and it is awesome!" Megan commented, "Lets get this one going!"

Right on cue, Madam Hooch blew her whistle and released all four balls into play. The game had begun.

"And it's Thomas who grabs the Quaffle and he starts to move it up field," Henry announced as the action progressed, "He passes it to Robins, now back to Thomas, who ducks to avoid a Bludger from Goyle. Passes it to Hazan. And . . . oh, that had to hurt! And Madam Hooch will call a foul on Mohammad Hazan for cobbing, and I have to admit that was the right call there."

"I agree, it was the right call, but Hazan was elbowed first by Pritchard," Megan pointed out, "Hazan was just defending himself."

"What Hazan did there was retaliation, I think," Henry informed, "Perhaps also setting a tone for this match that Gryffindor won't get pushed around like they usually are by Slytherin. That was a pretty hard elbow thrown by Hazan, much harder than it needed to be."

"And now it's Vaisley with the Quaffle, moving toward the far side of the pitch," Megan announced, "And he's being harassed by Thomas and passes it to Pritchard and Hazan is all over him immediately. Someone has to help him; both of the other Slytherin Chasers are up-field from him right now! Come on! Help him!"

"Pritchard passes up-field from him, but it's a blind pass for Harper," Henry called, "And it's PICKED OFF by Robins! And she is all alone, heading for the Slytherin goals! None of the Slytherin Chasers can catch her and the Gryffindor Beaters have the Bludgers, so it's her against Urquhart! Here she goes, enters the scoring area. She breaks left and . . . GOAL FOR GRYFFINDOR! She threw it into the right hoop as Urquhart broke to the same side as her and Gryffindor leads 10 to nil!"

"Where was the safe outlet pass there?" Megan complained, "It's like all the Slytherin Chasers just want all the glory for themselves. You have to play as a team if you want to win."

"Well said, Megan, but that is Gryffindor's game there," Henry replied, "You cannot let them go on the fast break like that. If you do, well, you just saw what the result will be."

"Well, here comes Madam Hooch to put the Quaffle back in play for Slytherin," Megan announced.

----------

"Gryffindor up 20 to nil now, 15 minutes into this match," Henry announced, "And Robins has the Quaffle handed to her by Madam Hooch for a Slytherin Stooging foul."

"That was just a lack of focus by Pritchard," Megan added, "I'm sure he'll learn better than to do that."

"It should already be drilled into you by this point," Henry countered, "But Robins passes it up to Hazan. Hazan moves it up the pitch, now on the Slytherin side of the field. Pritchard is all over him now. Hazan dumps it back to Robins, who is moving up the pitch against Vaisley. She passes forward to Thomas through an opening in the defense, and Thomas is heading for the scoring area, though Harper is staying with him. This would be a difficult goal for Thomas to score without any help. Hazan is coming up behind him as Thomas enters the scoring area and shoots . . . NO! It's a fake shot!"

The roar of the Gryffindor supporters drowned out the commentary for a few seconds.

"Thomas drew both Harper and Urquhart toward the left-hand goal, then made a motion as if he were trying to score a goal. But he didn't release the Quaffle until it was literally completely below him and Hazan was waiting for it. The right-hand goal was wide open and Hazan just threw it in from about 10 meters out," Henry explained.

"That was a perfectly executed sequence there by Gryffindor," Megan agreed, "But Hazan is still celebrating like he just won a championship or something. He'd better knock that off before someone gets upset with him."

Right on cue, as Mohammad was flying near Crabbe and still celebrating his first goal by banging on his chest with his left fist, Crabbe took his bat and whacked Mohammad's head with it, silencing the cheers from the crowd and earning Madam Hooch's attention.

"Oh, that was uncalled for!" Megan shouted after a few seconds, "Just because I said it was going to happen doesn't mean it's right!"

"Crabbe is being called for a flagrant Whacking foul against Hazan, and that should really be an intentional foul," Henry claimed, "Crabbe deliberately smashed Hazan with his bat."

"What's the difference?" Megan inquired.

"Crabbe gets to stay in the game now, but he would have been ejected if it were an intentional foul," Henry explained, "Also, if it were called intentional, Gryffindor's best Chaser, Robins, would be allowed to take the penalty shot. Instead, Hazan has to take it. That is, assuming he can recover from that blow to the back of the head."

Mohammad was lying on the ground for about 30 seconds while the two teams came down to the ground, with Crabbe staying unusually close to the downed Gryffindor player.

"I'm telling you, there is a lot of tension in the air here," Megan commented, "I can feel it, and it is really uncomfortable at this point."

"I hear that," Henry agreed, "There's always tension between Gryffindor and Slytherin, but this is over the top. The spectators could start brawling at any moment, I think."

However, it wasn't the stands where the brawl would occur. Down on the pitch, Mohammad suddenly sat up, rubbing the back of his head. He couldn't hear anything; what had just happened made his mind shut out most of his senses, save for his vision. And once he saw Crabbe standing nearby with his bat, he had just one thing in mind.

"Well, Mohammad has gotten up and is walking," Henry announced with relief, "It looks like he's okay."

"No he isn't, he walking right into another beating!" Megan objected, "He's walking right toward Crabbe!"

"You're right Megan, and . . . OH MY GOODNESS! A FIGHT HAS BROKEN OUT! Hazan knocked the bat out of Crabbe's hand and they grabbed each others' uniforms and are now taking swings at each other!" Henry exclaimed.

"Wow! This is amazing!" Megan shouted over the roar of the crowd.

"This is terrible!" Henry replied.

"Shut your bloody gob!" Megan shouted back, "I'm enjoying this. OH, THAT WAS UNCALLED FOR!"

"Before Madam Hooch could get the situation under control, Goyle came over to the fight and whacked Hazan over the head with his bat, and that one was intentional," Henry commented, "This game has gotten completely out of control! And Hazan is down on the ground again."

It took about a minute for Mohammad to regain his bearings this time. However, his teammates grabbed him the moment he stood up to prevent him from starting another fight.

"And Madam Hooch is now distributing the fouls," Henry informed the crowd which had so much tension running through it, "First, an intentional foul on Mohammad Hazan of Gryffindor for Fighting. That means Hazan will be ejected from the game and that the penalty shot he would have had for Crabbe's Whacking foul is forfeited, along with the fact that Slytherin will have Vaisley going for a penalty shot, and he's pretty good at those."

"We also have an intentional foul on Goyle for Whacking, which means he is ejected from the game as well," Megan continued, "And Gryffindor gets to have a penalty shot as well."

Vaisley would score on his opportunity, while Robins would have her shot blocked at the very last moment. Gryffindor still led 30 to 10, but they were down a Chaser, which would hurt their offense for the rest of the game.

----------

"We are now 30 minutes into this match, and Slytherin has just taken the lead, 40-30, on a goal by Harper," Megan announced to a stunned crowd.

"I hate to admit it, but that was a great goal by Harper," Henry acknowledged reluctantly, "Completely faked out Weasley to gain the lead for Slytherin. And Thomas will start with the Quaffle here as play resumes. Slytherin on a bit of an unexpected run right now, I have to say."

Suddenly, Ginny Weasley and Baddock both began flying toward each other at top speed. Both Henry and Megan saw it and knew what it meant.

"That burst of speed from both Seekers can only mean one thing," Henry claimed, "And that is that the Golden Snitch has just appeared and they are going after it with all they have."

"If they aren't careful, they're going to skewer each other with those broomsticks," Megan said, "But I feel that this game is about to come to an end, one way or another now."

As Ginny and Baddock came together, the Snitch flew away down the pitch, with both Seekers catching up to it. Ginny kept looking around her quickly to make sure there weren't any Bludgers coming for her. Baddock forgot to do this, as the whole of his concentration was on the Golden Snitch that was only feet in front of him.

"And Baddock appears to be gaining the edge," Henry noted, "He's moving forward on his broom, trying to grab the Snitch now."

"LOOK OUT!" Megan shouted in alarm.

Henry only realized what she had screamed about after the fact. "BADDOCK IS DOWN!" he yelled after Baddock got hit by the Bludger launched at Ginny by Crabbe, "Crabbe was trying hit Weasley off her broom, but she saw it coming and moved to the other side of Baddock as quickly as she could. And before Baddock even noticed that, the Bludger completely blind-sided him! Weasley is all alone now, and she reaches for it . . . SHE'S GOT THE SNITCH! THE GAME IS OVER!"

Ginny threw her arms up in victory as her teammates swarmed over her. Madam Hooch blew her whistle and waved her arms, signaling the end of the match.

"And Gryffindor wins the match, 180-40, with Ginny Weasley's capture of the Golden Snitch," Megan announced, "I have to say, this was quite entertaining, even though my side lost."

"A great, albeit violent, match between Gryffindor and Slytherin," Henry replied, "But when these two teams get together, it's never clean. Despite losing a chaser halfway through, Gryffindor wins and picks up 180 points in the Hogwarts Quidditch standings, while Slytherin gets 40 points. Witches and wizards, thank you for joining us today and please stick around for today's afternoon game between the Ravenclaw and Hufflepuff reserve teams."

And with that, Henry and Megan left the commentators' box. Henry went off to cheer and celebrate with his fellow house mates, while Megan joined her Slytherin house mates in mourning their loss to hated Gryffindor.

----------

Author's Notes: Originally, I was also going to have the Gryffindor-Ravenclaw Quidditch match in the story as well, but I decided to cut it out when I saw it just wouldn't fit into the plotline. To that end, Gryffindor would demolish Hufflepuff 420-60 and then beat Ravenclaw 270-100, winning the Quidditch House Cup for Gryffindor, beating out Slytherin by almost 300 points in the final standings.

Yes, I know David Beckham doesn't play for Manchester United anymore. He did play for them back in the 1997-98 season, though.

Well, that's about all for now, so until next week, enjoy.


	22. 21: Gifts

Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to all of you who read my story in the past week. We are now over 12,500 hits and I don't think it's going to slow down any time soon. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Yes, Gryffindor won the Cup convincingly. Thanks for your support.

Last chapter's Monty Python reference was Megan shouting at Henry, "Shut your bloody gob!" This comes from episode 31 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, in a sketch titled "Watney's Red Barrel." In this sketch, Eric Idle plays a man who just won't stop complaining about things, while Michael Palin tries to get him to stop. He's polite at first, but then starts losing it. It's very funny.

Well, I hate to say this, but its time to bring a different atmosphere into this story.

**Chapter 21: Gifts**

Christmas at Hogwarts was an odd affair that year. Headmistress McGonagall placed Professor Slughorn in charge of gathering up the names of those who would be staying on the school grounds over the holidays. It probably would have been a better idea to get the names of those actually going back home for Christmas, as the latter list would have been much shorter. It seemed as if the only Hogwarts students going home for this holiday break were those from Slytherin, who desperately sought to get away from the ever-widening grasp of Professor Gryffindor for as long as they could.

As for the students staying at Hogwarts, it was mostly a matter of security. Geoffrey himself strongly encouraged his students to stay at Hogwarts for the holidays for their own safety, as Death Eater attacks were becoming more prevalent across the whole of Great Britain as time had gone on. At the same time, Geoff had to convince the families of the students at Hogwarts that they would be safer at Hogwarts than if they returned home. Some parents were easier to reason to about this (Arthur and Molly Weasley, whom Geoff had been friends with for years, were among this group), while others were almost impossible to convince for various reasons (he had a hard time convincing the Parvati's about their daughters really being safer at Hogwarts, while the Hazan's didn't seem to like the fact that their son was spending so much time among magic users period). In the end, every Gryffindor and Hufflepuff student would be staying at Hogwarts over the holiday break, and all but one Ravenclaw student would be doing the same. The one Ravenclaw exception was Luna Lovegood, about whom Professor Flitwick was talking to Geoff in his office about now.

"Geoffrey, did you even try to convince Xenophilius to let her stay?" he inquired while standing on the chair in front of Geoffrey's desk. From the look in his eyes, Geoff knew that his former teacher and current colleague wanted some solid reassurances.

"Filius, relax," Geoff assured the short Charms teacher with a chuckle, "The extended lifespan your goblin heritage provides you will be useless if you keep straining yourself like this. Besides, you know how the Lovegood's don't change their minds once they set them on something. In any case, I don't think Luna's in any real danger outside of Hogwarts. The Death Eaters have no reason to go after her."

"Her father keeps printing in support of Harry Potter," Flitwick reminded Geoff, "They would certainly want to silence him."

"No one who reads _The Quibbler_ actually believes what's written in it," Geoff laughed, "The only thing that the Death Eaters would do by attacking him or his publication is to make people think, and believe me, that is something the Death Eaters don't want to do."

Flitwick knew all that to be true, but he shook his head slowly. "I don't know, Geoff, I just have a really bad feeling that we won't see Luna again," he warned solemnly, "I'm really worried about a lot of the things that I've been hearing lately. I feel like everything we've worked so hard to build since You-Know-Who fell is starting to unravel before our eyes."

Geoffrey nodded in understanding. He knew better than anyone else in the castle besides Headmistress McGonagall how bad the situation on the outside had become. To Geoff, it was a miracle that the Ministry had withstood the Death Eaters this long, but even miracles have their limits. From all indications, Voldemort would have full control of the Ministry for Magic before 1997 was over and that the ordinary wizarding citizens would have no idea that such a thing had happened. It was to be a seamless transition to pure-blooded tyranny. Geoff knew from the start that he couldn't work to both save the Ministry from Voldemort's grasp and assist Harry Potter in his task, but he had hoped that it wouldn't matter, as they had destroyed three of the remaining four objects within the space of three months. However, Harry's injured arm had sidelined any Horcrux-destroying until at least March. All Geoff could do was wait for Harry to heal and to exploit any opportunity to weaken or delay the Death Eaters that he could take.

"I know how you feel, Filius," Geoff replied as he sat down in his desk chair, "But we must stay strong. So long as there are those who are willing to fight and die for a cause they know to be righteous, there will always be hope of seeing tomorrow's sunrise."

Professor Flitwick nodded in agreement. "It's good to see that we have such a powerful wizard on the side of good, despite what many say about your past," he said as he jumped off the chair, "You will defend this school with me, Geoffrey?"

"To my last breath, Filius," Geoff vowed, "To the bitter end."

Filius nodded in approval and left Geoff's office. Once he was gone, Geoff picked up a Self-Inking Quill he had purchased from Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes and quickly wrote, _Ask Xeno about using Quibbler to spread messages to allies_. Geoff figured that when the Death Eaters took control of the Ministry, they would still ignore _The Quibbler_ as a joke publication. Geoff and his allies would then use the "tabloid" to send messages to those who were fighting against Voldemort (these included Geoff's contacts and the still-living members of the Order of the Phoenix, along with many other individuals who wanted to stand against the Death Eaters). However, Geoff knew that any resistance would be futile until Voldemort was actually made mortal again.

Geoff then pulled out a sheet of parchment to begin a letter that would signal such a resistance to begin when Minerva McGonagall entered his office. "Geoffrey, I hope I'm not interrupting anything," she announced.

"No, not at all," Geoff answered as he gestured to the seat in front of his desk, "Would you like to sit?"

"Thank you, I would," she replied as she sat down. Geoff knew that this was going to be an interesting conversation when that happened, "Working on next semester's outlines?"

Geoffrey shook his head. "No, I had those done a month ago," he claimed, "This is something else I need to do now."

Geoff heard the office door shut from McGonagall's mental spell. "Is this something relating to when the Ministry falls?" she inquired.

Geoff nodded in reply, knowing that he and Minerva were on the same side and both equally informed. "Yes, it's a coded message that I'm intending to send to Xeno," he explained, "If you want to Minerva, inform the Order to purchase subscriptions to _The Quibbler_ immediately. They'll be able to pick up the hidden messages there, while the Death Eaters should pay little attention to them. At least for a little while."

Minerva nodded, knowing that everyone on their side of the line in this war were going to be scattered and on the run soon. "You know they'll be coming for us first after they get the Ministry," she pointed out, "They'll try to sack us and put their people in our places. Send the Muggle-borns home or worse."

"They can try, but they won't get me to leave this castle," Geoff declared.

"You know what will happen if you do resist a Ministry order, Geoff," she reminded, "They'll put the school under siege until you comply. How will you get your messages to Xeno out once that happens?"

"They can't stop all the owls from getting out," Geoff explained, "I'll set up everything that I need tomorrow and then come back to Hogwarts and wait out the storm. Don't worry Minerva. I'll take care of everything."

"What about Harry and your brother?" McGonagall asked.

"I'll go check up on that tomorrow as well," Geoff answered, "Gary tells me Harry is recovering, but these dark curses linger for a long time. He won't be ready to go back out into the field until March, at the earliest. But we can't face Voldemort directly until Harry finishes his task. Don't be fooled, Minerva, time is on our side."

"Tell that to Scrimgeour," Minerva retorted, "He's going to die in less than two weeks, and we both know it."

"Sacrifices will have to be made, Minerva, you and I both know that," Geoff replied, "We can't save everyone, and if we try to do that, we'll save nothing. We can defend this castle, so that's what we'll do."

The Hogwarts Headmistress knew and understood all that, but it didn't make her feel any better about what was happening around her. Everyone had already gone into hiding, waiting for the hammer to fall. All they could do from now on was to keep moving and stay out of sight until they could eliminate Lord Voldemort. And all that was about to be partially removed from Geoff's hands.

"How are you holding up, Geoffrey?" Minerva asked, changing the subject.

Geoff sighed. "Honestly, this job burns you out," he admitted, "And I do miss my family. I'll have to try to find a place for us to live near here during the summer."

"Hogsmeade is always a possibility," McGonagall suggested.

Geoffrey nodded. "Yeah, that's true," he answered, "But that's something I'll have to think about later. There are more pressing matters to attend to right now."

Minerva knew what Geoff was talking about. Indeed, very few Hogwarts staff members were married, though one having a family, as Geoff did, certainly wasn't unheard of. "How is your family doing?" she inquired.

"Well, Amy is doing well, though she and the children all miss me dearly," Geoff informed the Headmistress, "My siblings are all a bit anxious about my safety. Gina has actually moved to France in order to avoid any Death Eater attacks and I've already asked Amy to pack our bags to follow her, just in case things start getting bad for us."

"And she'll be able to find that hidden message in _The Quibbler_?" Minerva inquired.

Geoff nodded. "She knows what to look for," he said, "But until then, she'll be helping to defend the Muggles of Great Yarmouth as much as she can."

"I think that's a good idea," McGonagall replied, "The Muggles will be in grave danger soon. We must do whatever we can to protect them. In any case, Geoffrey, it seems like you'd be more suited for leading the Hogwarts community in a time like this."

Geoff knew this was going to happen sooner or later. And he wasn't going to take this bait. Not yet, anyway. "Minerva, I have absolutely no interest in taking your position at this time," he said, cutting her off, "I feel that I can better serve this school if I can continue to train the students to defeat the Dark Arts without any distractions."

McGonagall was caught completely off guard by this quick rejection of power. "Geoff, I thought you always wanted the position of Headmaster," she explained, "And you seem like the perfect person to lead Hogwarts through the next few months."

"With all due respect and honesty, Minerva, I do want your position," he answered, "But not right now. The timing isn't right. I will still need to make a second trip back to London during the Easter break. I'm going to use a conference in Barcelona as an excuse to get out of here."

"I believe Charity is going to the same conference," she pointed out, "Why do you need to go to London at that time?"

Geoff hesitated a moment before answering that. "The truth is that I'm afraid to tell Harry the truth, but I know I'll have to tell him eventually," he finally answered.

"Geoff, you have to stop blaming yourself for what happened," Minerva replied strongly, "It was pure luck that you happened to be in that position at all."

"But I WAS there," Geoff countered, and then sighed, "Regardless, I'm not ready to tell him tomorrow. But come Easter, they'll be no more running from him. I will tell him everything, but only when I have to. Only when I have as much of his trust as I can possibly earn."

Knowing that he didn't want to talk about this anymore, McGonagall took the easiest detour given to her. "I've heard from many students that Charity's classes are starting to border on indoctrination instead of teaching," she informed.

Geoff had heard this to, and it frustrated him. "Again?" he asked incredulously, "I've talked to her before about this, and she's at it again?"

"I guess so," Minerva replied, "I'm not a pure-blood maniac, but I just don't feel that kind of action belongs here at Hogwarts."

"And I completely agree," Geoff joined, "To say that the end of pure-bloods in the Wizarding world is a desirable end is very suspect to me. It encourages discrimination against pure-bloods, in my opinion, not equal treatment of all wizards and witches."

"Her own parents were murdered by Death Eaters," Minerva pointed out, wanting to see how Geoffrey dealt with his own hypocrisy.

But he was too clever for that ploy. "I don't let my personal vendettas influence my professional work, Minerva," he countered, "If she has a vendetta against Voldemort, that's fine. But she can't pass it on to her students. I'll have to talk to her again about this once I confirm this. I believe Miss MacDonald takes her classes."

"It seems you'll have to be more forceful this time around," McGonagall said.

Geoff nodded. He knew that was true, but he knew Charity would make him hate himself for being so hard on her. She always made doing the right thing, which was so hard to do in the first place, harder than it needed to be. But Geoff would get through to her. He had to. Otherwise, she'd be dead the moment she left Hogwarts for any reason. Like Geoffrey Gryffindor, Charity Burbage had become an enemy of the Death Eaters. Unlike Geoffrey Gryffindor, she wouldn't be able to handle what they could throw at her. It was no fault of her own; Geoff just had so much more natural magical talent than she did.

"This place is going to be pretty well-packed for Christmas, with three whole houses staying here," Geoff pointed out, changing topics.

"Actually, quite a few Slytherins are staying as well," McGonagall corrected, "Most of the first and second years of that house are staying here."

Geoff knew that was due to Megan's influence. And she knew that she would put herself and her family at risk if she went home now. Her mother and father were very disappointed with her decision, but Geoffrey assured them that it was in everyone's best interest for her to stay at the school. They'd still be able to send her Christmas presents by owl. The news that Megan was staying at Hogwarts over the holidays made Henry happy, however. Geoff was expecting his son to come shortly to discuss the gifts he wanted to get for his friends.

"Is there anything else you wanted to discuss with me, Minerva?" Geoffrey inquired.

"No, that's about all," she answered as she stood up and began to leave the room, "Stay safe, Geoff."

"Same to you," Geoff replied as she left the room, leaving the door open behind her.

Moments later, Henry Gryffindor walked into the office. "Professor, I'm here," he announced.

"Henry, if this is personal business, you can address me as you would normally do," Geoff allowed.

"Dad, I have a list of gifts I'd like you to get for me," Henry explained.

"Only if you have the money yourself to pay for them," Geoff answered, "These are your gifts, you know."

"I do have the money," Henry affirmed, placing three Galleons on his father's desk.

"Right then, tell me what you need, son," Geoff answered as he grabbed the Self-Inking Quill again and prepared to write down a list of things to get.

Henry went through his list one by one. And when he read off the gift that was meant for Megan, he and his father both shared a hearty laugh. "Oh, she'll just love that!" the elder Gryffindor commented.

----------

"Happy Christmas, Mohammad," Henry said the morning of December 25, 1997 as he handed a present shaped as a tube to his friend and teammate.

"Thanks Henry," Mohammad replied as he picked up his own present, which was shaped like a box, and handed it over to him, "And this is for you."

"Thanks," Henry thanked as he unwrapped the red wrappings and found that the box actually contained a Quaffle, with the navy blue and gold logo of Puddlemere United stamped across its surface. "Oh, man, thanks Mohammad! I always wanted one of these!" he exclaimed as he held the ball in both his hands.

"Where in blazes is Puddlemere, anyway?" Mohammad inquired as he opened his gift, "I couldn't find it on any Muggle map."

"They're the only Quidditch team in the British and Irish Quidditch League that plays in southeast England," Henry explained, "They play in Ipswich. The name Puddlemere comes from a long, long time ago. The club was founded in 1163, you know."

"That's an old team," Mohammad noted as he found a rolled up poster was his gift. He unrolled it and knew what he was looking at immediately. "Oh, I remember this like it was yesterday," he remarked with a smile, "Marcus Gayle sinks Man U 1-0 in the FA Cup. I was at that game! Happiest moment of my life before coming here!"

"Now you can see the winning header over and over again on your wall," Henry commented, "How did Wimbledon do in the FA Cup?"

"We lost to Chelsea in the semifinal," Mohammad answered dejectedly, "We got so close to that cup, too. But we're up near the top of the Premiership right now, so the Crazy Gang is doing plenty of singing this season."

"Good luck with that," Henry said, "And thanks for the Quaffle."

"Hey, it's Christmas," Mohammad explained, "So, what did you get for Megan?"

"A poster," Henry answered with a grin, "It's a bit of a joke, actually."

"Who's on it?" Mohammad inquired.

Henry told him and they both had to laugh. "She'll love it," Henry finished.

"Oh, she'll kill you for this," Mohammad assured, "But in a couple of years, I think she'll leave flowers at your grave to thank you."

Mohammad laughed again, though the joke obviously went a bit over Henry's head for now.

----------

The Christmas Meal proceeded without any major incidents, though Geoff heard that some of the House Elves were complaining about the unusually high workload they were under this holiday season, but they knew they couldn't complain about their current jobs when the Death Eaters would subject them to slavery or worse.

As the students were starting to finish their food, McGonagall stood up and addressed everyone in the Great Hall. "Witches and wizards," she began, waiting for the noise in the room to die down before continuing, "I am pleased to see so many happy faces here at this time of year. I'm sure you were all happy with your presents this morning. But now we must give you some words of wisdom. And for that, I'll defer to Professor Gryffindor."

The Gryffindor table shouted out and clapped with enthusiasm as their Head of House stood up and faced the students present. The Ravenclaws and Hufflepuffs gave some respectful applause, while the few Slytherins present basically did nothing as the newest member of the Hogwarts faculty began his speech to the students. "Hogwarts students, I wish you all a Happy Christmas," he began, "It warms my heart to see so many of you here, safe and sound inside this castle, eating to your hearts' content. And I'm sure all your gifts were wonderful. Unfortunately, dark times are approaching us. I will not say what it is that haunts this land, but I will tell you that it seeks to divide you from one another. It seeks to destroy the unity of this castle and conquer it through division. And so, I have two pieces of advice to impart upon all of you today. First, do not let your suspicions of each other get the better of you. We are all witches and wizards here in Hogwarts. Put your trust in each other, and we cannot fail. And second of all, always remember to try and be nice to people, avoid eating fat, read a good book every now and then, get some walking in, and try and live together in peace and harmony with people of all creeds and nations."

Some scattered laughing popped up at the latter remark. Megan herself smirked, having heard that phrase before.

"Well, that's all I have to say," Geoff finished as he surrendered the spot to the Headmistress as his snowy owl, Merlin, flew onto his arm with a small piece of parchment attached to his right claw, "You have the floor, Headmistress McGonagall."

"Thank you Professor Gryffindor," Minerva said as she stood up again and Geoff read the message, "Students, heed those words just spoken. They will help you when all seems lost. Unfortunately, our Christmas Meal is over."

Minerva was about to continue speaking, Geoff interrupted. "Headmistress, I must speak," he said tersely.

Minerva was caught off-guard by the words, but even more by the expression she saw on his face. He had turned pale as a ghost, holding the small piece of parchment in his right hand with an obvious death grip. She nodded as Geoffrey stood up again. Whispers started racing through the students as they saw their formerly confident professor of Defense Against the Dark Arts obviously shaken and disturbed.

"Students, it is none of my business to tell you what you may or may not do at this time, but I would encourage all of you to stay inside the castle until further notice," Geoff advised, "We faculty members have something that needs to be discussed immediately."

Most of the older students knew immediately or had a very good idea what had just happened. Hermione Granger and Ron Weasley led the students out of the Great Hall and toward their dormitories.

"Henry! I think the castle is about to be attacked!" Megan exclaimed to Henry as she caught up to him and Mohammad.

"What makes you say that?" Henry asked her.

"Your father seemed rather distraught once he read whatever message he got from his owl," she explained, "Have you ever seen him like that before?"

"No, not exactly," Henry replied, "But if we were under attack, he would have told us to go back to our rooms immediately. He just suggested that we do so."

Megan thought about this and realized that Henry was right on this account.

"Ah, let them come," Mohammad boasted, "I'll tear them limb from limb."

Henry glanced over at his friend, then returned his attention to Megan. "Oh, and by the way, I have a Christmas gift for you, Megan," he stated as he handed over a tube-shaped gift to her.

"Is this one of those wizard posters where the things move?" she inquired as she opened the gift.

"You'll see," Henry replied, a smile widening across his face.

Megan finished removing the gift wrap and opened the tube to see what was on the poster. Her smile immediately left her face upon seeing the image. "You bloody, cheeky bastard!" she criticized, "Just because I like Manchester United doesn't mean I'm goo-goo ga-ga for him."

"Oh, come on, he's the real reason any girl cheers for Manchester United," Mohammad teased.

"That is such a lie!" Megan retorted, "Gary Neville is so much better than Beckham is. Oh, this reminds me. Henry, I want to show you what my parents sent me this morning."

"Oh, this must be good," Henry stated, "Lets see it."

Mohammad and Henry followed Megan to the entrance to the Slytherin common room in the dungeons of the castle.

----------

"Geoffrey," Minerva began tersely, feeling that her authority had just been trodden on as the last of the students left the Great Hall, "You had better give me a damn good explanation for this."

Geoff said nothing. His reply was to hand the small piece of parchment he had just received from his owl over to Minerva. Annoyed, she began reading it aloud. As she did, her annoyance turned to utter shock.

"The Ministry has fallen. Scrimgeour is dead. They are coming," she read, her face also turning pale as the words left her lips.

There were only ten words there, but they sent a chill down every person present in the room. Horace was especially affected, as he knew that he had directly assisted in creating the situation that now faced them. Fear had crept into most of them and they were now looking around, as if waiting for someone hidden to appear and attack them. Some even put their wand hands into their robes and gripped their wands.

"Kingsley's first Christmas gift to me in a long time," Geoff commented, breaking the nervous silence, "And it's one I didn't want to see."

"Well, what do we do now?" Charity inquired nervously, though with a hint of anger as well.

"There's nothing we can do right now, except to resist the Ministry's intentions," Minerva answered, "We will continue to teach the students and do the best we can with the situations presented to us."

"I agree with that, Minerva," Geoff announced, whom everyone else was basically looking to for guidance at this point, "Things may look bleak for us right now, but this has happened before and we survived."

"Can we rely on another Harry Potter appearing to save us?" Horace asked.

"What makes you think we need a new one?" Geoff inquired hypothetically, "The old one is out there, somewhere. He'll keep fighting, and so we must fight as well."

"Should we restrict the students to being indoors from now on?" Professor Sprout inquired.

"Perhaps that would be prudent, at least for now," Minerva agreed, "I also think we should cancel all Hogsmeade visits indefinitely."

"I second those motions," Geoff vouched, "We have to keep the students safe."

"Any objections?" Minerva asked. She had the final call, but she wanted to make sure such a drastic step wasn't taken too quickly without further examination.

"It just seems like this is going a bit too far, to restrict the freedom of the students this much," Professor Vector pointed out, "I mean, the Death Eaters aren't going to abduct the students in broad daylight."

"What's to stop them?" Geoff inquired, "I can't play chaperone and teach Defense Against the Dark Arts, you know."

"I could watch over 'em," Hagrid vouched, "It's me job to do that, you know."

Geoff smiled at Rubeus, but shook his head. "Could you stay awake and alert for the next six months, Hagrid?" he asked rhetorically, "Because that's what it would take to keep the students safe from the Death Eaters. I have no doubts that you can handle multiple Death Eaters, Hagrid, but you can't watch them all the time."

"He wouldn't have to," Ancient Runes teacher Emelius Browne pointed out, "The students aren't allowed outside the castle at night."

Geoff chuckled at that statement. "That's never stopped students who really wanted to get outside at night for various reasons," he informed the old professor. He glanced at Charity, who blushed slightly, though no one except Geoff noticed this.

"Hagrid, would you be able to continue teaching Care of Magical Creatures if you needed to watch out for the students outdoors?" Professor Grubbly-Plank asked of the half-giant.

"Course I could," he answered immediately, "Was doing both before you arrived, Wilhelmina."

_Which was kinda why she was hired to teach your classes in the first place_, Geoff thought to himself. Initially, Geoff didn't like the idea of having students going outside at all now that the castle would be surrounded by Death Eaters, but he saw that the opposition to such a measure from the other teachers was immense and probably unbeatable at the moment. "I suppose that we can trust Hagrid to keep any intruders away from Hogwarts," he relented, "But I cannot see how Hogsmeade visits can continue with this development."

"We could stretch our area of control to Hogsmeade," Professor Trelawney offered, "It has been done before."

For the first time in many years, Geoffrey Gryffindor found himself completely surprised. He was unaware of such an event ever taking place. "Sibyll, you forget that when Dumbledore did that, it was because some students had to go through Hogsmeade to get back to Hogwarts safely," Minerva reminded the Divination teacher, "The extension lasted only an hour, which is about as long as you could maintain such a defense without Ministry help. I'll have to agree with Geoffrey on this one. From this point forward, no more Hogsmeade visits. And I would strongly encourage the Heads of House to talk to their students about watching out for trouble and staying together when outdoors from now on."

All the other teachers nodded. "Stay safe everyone," Minerva announced as a departure.

----------

"Oh, that's a nice cat you got there," Henry congratulated as Megan turned around.

Her arms cradled the gift she had received that morning from her parents. It was a black cat which was rubbing his head against Megan's chest at the moment. When he opened his eyes, Henry and Mohammad saw that the cat's eyes were a dull shade of yellow or orange. It lay on its side on Megan's forearms and stared at its two new visitors.

"What breed is it?" Mohammad inquired.

"I think he's a British Shorthair," Megan answered as she examined her new pet, "His cheeks are kinda chubby and his body is rounded a bit. He's also got a broad chest, just like Mohammad here."

The three of them shared a good laugh at that, especially Mohammad. "You think I'm big now, just wait until I'm 14 or something like that," he warned.

"I don't know, his tail looks all wrong for a British Shorthair," Henry pointed out, "It looks like a lion's tail. And his ears are kinda big for his breed."

"Yeah, I noticed that too," Megan affirmed as the cat squirmed a little in her arms, but showed no signs of leaving them at this point, "Well, they seem to be breeding new types of cats all the time. My parents found this little guy in a shop called Magical Menagerie about two weeks ago and knew that if I were to be a proper witch, I would need my own black cat."

Mohammad chuckled at that statement, while Henry just shook his head. "You know, I'd love to clear away all those superstitions that Muggles have about us," he stated, "Then we wouldn't have a need for so much secrecy."

"So, what's his name?" Mohammad inquired.

At this, Megan looked up from her cat to her friends. "That's another reason why I brought you here," she informed, "I really don't have one yet. I've been going through some names in my head, but I don't know what I should go with yet. I was wondering if you guys could help me out here. I'm stuck between Salazar and Flyer."

"Why Flyer?" Henry asked.

Almost as if an answer to his question, the cat stood up on Megan's forearms and immediately jumped onto the top of Henry's head. Henry kept his head still as the cat kneaded his brown hair with his front paws and then laid down on it.

"That's why," Megan finally answered, "He loves to fly around from place to place like that."

"Then Flyer it is," Henry announced.

"I don't like Flyer, it's too awkward," Mohammad announced, "Megan, how do you like Altair?"

"You mean like the star?" Henry inquired, turning toward his friend slowly enough so that Megan's pet didn't latch its claws into his hair or scalp for balance.

"Yeah, like the star," Mohammad replied, "Altair means 'The Flying One' in Arabic, which fits him, I think."

"Yeah, I like that name more than Flyer," Henry said, "Altair is a great name for him."

"Yeah, I like it too," Megan agreed, "Altair it is."

Altair stood up upon hearing his name and jumped back to Megan, landing on her head. Megan giggled as she picked Altair off her head and cradled him in her arms again. "Welcome to Hogwarts, Altair," she announced.

Altair showed his happiness with his owner by purring loudly as Megan stroked his fur. Henry sensed that there was something magical about Altair, but he couldn't quite put his finger on it at the moment. "That's a very nice cat your parents got you," Henry stated.

"Yeah, he is," Megan agreed, "Happy Christmas, you two." She then began to walk back into the foreboding Slytherin common room.

"What, nothing for us?" Mohammad exclaimed, "Your best friends in the world?"

"You didn't get me anything, Mohammad," Megan pointed out.

Mohammad paused for a moment, then replied, "I didn't know what to get you!"

"As for Henry here," she continued, still petting Altair, "He still owes me 10 Galleons for scoring on Mohammad in that match a month ago."

And this brought up a point that Henry and Megan had been arguing about ever since she had scored a goal against Mohammad in the November Quidditch match between the Gryffindor and Slytherin reserve teams. "That money was never meant for someone outside of my team," he explained for what seemed to be the thousandth time, "It was meant for the player who scored first against Mohammad in practice, which still hasn't happened."

Mohammad gave a huge grin at this, while Megan remained unearthly calm. "From what I heard, the bet was for the person who scored first on him," she pointed out, "Nothing about it being in practice at all. The other five gave me the Galleons a month ago. So who misunderstood the bet, Henry, you alone or your five teammates? Which seems more likely to you?"

Henry wasn't going to answer that one. "You stole our plays!" he exclaimed as he pointed his finger at Megan in accusation, "I know you did while Mohammad and I were out in the hall that day."

Altair took offense to Henry's tone of voice and pointing of fingers. He responded by swiping at the extended digit with claws extended, causing Henry some minor pain as he retracted the finger. "You can't prove that, Henry," Megan retorted, "But I can assure you that you won't be getting any Christmas gifts from me until you give me what's mine." And with that, she went back into her common room and the wall sealed behind her.

"You should just give her the money," Mohammad advised his friend as they began walking toward Gryffindor Tower, "She won the bet fair and square."

"It's the principle of the thing, Mohammad," Henry replied, "She wasn't involved in the bet. She didn't have to risk anything, so she can't win anything."

The two would continue to argue about this most of the way back up to the Gryffindor common room.

----------

About thirty minutes later, Geoffrey Gryffindor was addressing all the students of Gryffindor House in the common room. He had a grim, yet determined look on his face as he explained what was going to happen to them.

"I suppose there's no point in hiding the truth from you at this point," Geoff began, "I received a message at the Christmas Meal from a good friend of mine. You will see headlines in tomorrow's Daily Prophet that Minister for Magic Rufus Scrimgeour has resigned from his position, probably citing his health as the reason. This will be a lie. In fact, from now on, the Daily Prophet and all the state-owned media outlets will be filled with lies and propaganda."

"What exactly are you saying, Professor?" Mohammad inquired.

"Rufus Scrimgeour is dead," Geoff declared, sending a shock through many of the younger Gryffindors, though the worst was yet to come, "He was tortured and murdered by Death Eaters. The Ministry is now under the control of You-Know-Who."

Practically everyone in the room gave a very audible sound of despair. Some gasped, others shouted, and yet others started to weep; but the shock was universal, no matter how it was expressed.

"You-Know-Who?" Henry said with confusion, "Don't you mean Vol . . . "

But his father cut him off before he finished. "Henry, don't say the name anymore," Geoff warned quickly, "The name may have been tabooed already, so lets not take any unnecessary chances now."

Henry understood immediately, as did many other Gryffindors, most of whom gave an involuntary shudder. But some were clueless as to what Geoff meant "Tabooed?" a girl in Henry's year asked, "What does that mean?"

"It means that the Ministry can track anyone who says a certain word or set of words," Henry explained, cutting off his father, "They want to track down those who are resisting the Death Eaters, who are the only ones who are brave enough to use his actual name and capture or kill them."

This sent the same involuntary shudder through most of the students who hadn't understood before. "Yes, what Henry just said is about right," Geoff affirmed, "But that's just the beginning of the changes you'll be seeing outside of Hogwarts. More than likely, you'll start hearing lots of pro-pure-blood propaganda from the Ministry through the Daily Prophet and other state-owned media outlets. I would advise you to remember that everything you hear that goes against what you have learned here so far this year is not true. The Ministry will boast that those who do not have magical parents have stolen magic from some wizard or witch somewhere and should be thrown in Azkaban for such theft."

"That's absurd!" a second year boy shouted, "You can't steal magical powers! You have to be born with them!"

"Yes, that is true," Geoff affirmed, "But the Ministry will inundate all of you with information that such a thing can occur. And some of it will be quite convincing, I assure you. If you ever find yourself doubting your abilities, just remember that you are in Hogwarts because you deserve to be here. You are all wizards and witches in your own right, and no one can take that away from you."

Most of the Gryffindor students gave a big shout as Geoff finished this statement in affirmation of their identities as magic users. It took about a minute for everyone to quiet down enough for him to continue.

"I also have to inform you that the Ministry will attempt to enforce its will upon this school," Geoff continued, which caused many of the Gryffindors to feel their stomachs sink in their chests, "They will push for many things, including new teachers who will enforce the Ministry's new line and policies to expel Muggle-borns from the school." At this he saw many of the Gryffindor students lose the color in their faces, including Hermione Granger. "However," he continued, stopping any panic that might have arisen, "I will do everything in my power to ensure that they will not succeed in removing any of you from school. However, you have to promise me that you will do whatever you can to keep out of trouble from now on. Many of the Slytherin students with Death Eater leanings will be looking for any excuse to report you to Ministry officials, which may force me aside and give them access to school policies. I don't need to remind most of you of what happened here two years ago. If the Ministry gets involved now, it'll be even worse. I've been a bit lax on the rules with you so far, but now I have to ask you not to put any toes out of line or put yourselves in a position that will jeopardize the security of this castle."

"What about SCAM and Dumbledore's Army?" Ron Weasley inquired, "Will we have to shut them down?"

Geoff shook his head. "SCAM is a legitimate student organization and will be maintained," he announced, "As long as we keep Dumbledore's Army a secret from the Ministry, that should be safe as well."

"I think we should force that Slytherin girl out of the DA," Ron suggested, "We just can't risk our security like that anymore."

At this, Henry immediately stood up and turned to face the Head Boy. He could not let this stand. "You take that back, Weasley!" he shouted as Mohammad stood up as well, ready to back up his friend.

"Henry, you know as well as I do that no Slytherin can be trusted," Ron argued as he stood up, standing more than a foot taller than either of the first years who had initiated this, "She may be your friend, but what if she decides that it would be to her advantage to go along with You-Know-Who?"

"She would never do that!" Mohammad exclaimed, knowing that he and Megan were alike in a way that ensured they would never join (or more accurately, be allowed to join) Voldemort's side.

"Then why is she in Slytherin?" Ron inquired, "Nothing good has ever come out of that house."

"Enough!" Geoffrey shouted, stopping the exchange then and there, "Sit down, all three of you!"

Ron, Henry, and Mohammad complied with the request, though the tension in the room was now at the point of breaking and everyone could feel it and were reaching for their wands. "I will speak to you about this after this meeting is over, Mr. Weasley," he declared, "But let me just say that I'm disappointed that you blindly label all Slytherins to be unworthy of trust because of the actions of some of them. Let me remind you that many Slytherins have helped our side and that Gryffindors have betrayed us.

"I also have to announce that you will be allowed to go outside for recreational activities." At this, a collective sigh of relief was heard from all the Gryffindor Quidditch players. "However," Geoff continued, "All Hogsmeade visits have been canceled indefinitely." And at this, a loud groan arose from the students who were third years and above.

"When outdoors, I would also HIGHLY advise that you never do so alone," Geoff warned, "I would not be surprised if the Ministry surrounds the grounds with Death Eaters over the next few days in an attempt to intimidate the teachers and students into surrendering the school's autonomy. However, I would not put it past them to use any opportunity they have to kidnap students and hold them for negotiating power or even to torture them for information. For this reason, make sure you are always with a friend or a group of friends when you go outdoors. And always be aware of your surroundings at all times. If you see a strange person or group of persons approaching you, do not attempt to fight them. Move back into the castle or find Hagrid as quickly as you can. Very few of you would stand a chance against a single Death Eater, let alone a group of them. Any questions?"

"Can our parents ask us to withdraw from the school if they were to move abroad?" Parvati inquired, looking almost ashamed to ask such a thing.

"Your parents are free to withdraw you from the school at any time, yes," Geoff answered, "However, I assure you all that as long as you stay within the castle, you will be safe. I swear. You will be safe here."

Parvati nodded in reply, obviously very worried about what was going to happen to her family.

"Let me be frank with you all," Geoff concluded, "You will hear terrible stories on an almost daily basis. The Death Eaters will target those you love in order to force us to submit. I am sure of it. It will start soon, and it will happen often. I have already sent out messages to everyone I can trust to defend everyone they can, but there is only so much they can do. We must remain strong and resolute. We will win this war, but it will not be easy. This is war, and unlike what you'd like to believe, there are no rules in war, not to these Death Eaters. But if we stand strong, this evil will fall. I assure you of that."

And with that, the meeting of Gryffindor House ended. Everyone started to go their separate ways, with Henry and Mohammad making sure to deliberately avoid Ron. Geoff looked around and saw Ginny heading toward her room. "Miss Weasley, may I have a word with you?" he called.

Ginny turned and walked over to Geoff. "What is it, Professor?" she asked, her eyes growing lonely knowing that her letters from Harry were at an end now.

"I have a gift here for you," he replied as he pulled a small, wrapped box out of his robes and handed it to her, "Don't open it out here. Do it in privacy, please. Also, clear out the Gryffindor common room by midnight and watch the fireplace. You'll know what to do then."

Ginny nodded as she took the gift and walked up to her bedroom, which was deserted save for her. She turned on a light in the room and sat down on her four-poster bed and quickly unwrapped the gift. She found a smooth, wooden box that opened on a hinge. Ginny opened the box slowly and found a white piece of parchment inside. She lifted the paper and gasped. Underneath was a beautiful necklace of gold with rubies, sapphires, and emeralds embedded into it. A gold chain was attached to either end of the necklace, with fasteners connected to the ends of the chains.

"It's so beautiful," she remarked quietly as tears began to well up in her eyes as she lifted the necklace out of the box slowly. She examined the necklace more closely and found the name "R. Ravenclaw" engraved on the back. At this, Ginny was stunned. _Has he been cheating on me?_ she wondered, a thought that had never entered her mind before.

Her thoughts turned back to the paper that covered the necklace. She picked it up and started to read it. The letter and the necklace were both from Harry, and the letter explained what the necklace was (which explained the name on the back). He also noted that she would be seeing him very shortly, but did not elaborate further on that. Harry also requested that Ginny not actually wear the necklace around Hogwarts, as many would probably want to steal it and would certainly lead to many questions being asked that Geoffrey would rather not deal with.

After reading through the letter several times, she placed it and the necklace back into its box and stored that inside the cabinet next to her bed. And then she wondered about what Harry meant by saying that he would be seeing her shortly.

----------

Author's Notes: Yes, Henry got Megan a poster of David Beckham. Perhaps a little history lesson is in order here. In the season after the one taking place during this season (1997-98), Manchester United would earn The Treble, winning the Premier League, the FA Cup, and UEFA Champions League (my apologies to Bayern Munich fans) in the 1998-99 campaign. It was the most successful season for any English soccer team ever, and Manchester United coach Alex Ferguson was knighted for his successes (which is why he's commonly called Sir Alex). So the season that was going on during this story was the one immediately preceding that season of unparalleled success that has not been duplicated by an English club since.

Interestingly, Gary Neville is still playing for Manchester United today. In fact, he is now the team's captain. Sixteen years and counting for his time at the club.

The name of the Ancient Runes teacher, Emelius Brown, is another reference to the Disney musical "Bedknobs & Broomsticks." It is the name of David Tomlinson's character in the movie. You may remember Tomlinson more for his role as George Banks in another Disney musical, "Mary Poppins."

Well, that's all for now. Until next time, readers!


	23. 22: The Power of Love

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all my readers in the past week. This story has now accumulated more than 13,500 hits. And a special thanks to my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Hey, sorry man, that's just the way these things work. Interestingly, Arsenal would go on to win the Premier League and FA Cup in the 1997-98 campaign (during which this story takes place). As for the team I support... well, I'll leave that for later. And let me just say that Ginny had never thought of Harry cheating on her before seeing the necklace. It's just that she's under a lot of stress and stress tends to make someone's mind work in funny ways. Thanks for the feedback.

Okay, last week's Monty Python reference was the advice that Geoff gave to the students gathered at the Christmas meal. The line comes from "Monty Python's The Meaning of Life" and is the actual meaning of life as presented in the movie.

Alright then, lets get on with it.

**Chapter 22: The Power of Love**

It was almost midnight and the Gryffindor common room was nearly deserted while the fireplace was burning just bright enough to serve the needs of those still there. And at the moment, there were three people in the common room who were discussing an important topic.

"I'm still not so sure, Henry," Ron Weasley remarked.

"And why the bloody hell not?" Henry Gryffindor inquired sharply, his arms folded over his chest to show his displeasure with the Head Boy of Hogwarts.

"Do you really need to ask Henry?" Mohammad Hazan asked rhetorically, "It's because she's in Slytherin. That's why he doesn't trust her."

"And if you two had seen what I've seen in the last seven years, you wouldn't trust a Slytherin either, I assure you of that," Ron retorted, "I know Peter Pettigrew was a Gryffindor turned traitor, but that's the only bad one I can think of from this house."

"And every Slytherin you know has turned bad?" Henry asked.

"Well, no, not every Slytherin," Ron admitted, "But from my experience, when something in this school has gone dreadfully wrong, someone in Slytherin had something to do with it, without fail."

"It wasn't a Slytherin who ratted out Dumbledore's Army last time," Henry pointed out.

"Of course it wasn't a Slytherin who ratted us out last time," Ron answered, getting quite annoyed with this argument, "We didn't have any Slytherins in Dumbledore's Army back then!"

At this point, Henry just lost his nerve and, for a moment, his mind. "Burma!" he half-shouted.

Both Ron and Mohammad were confused by this. "Why did you say Burma?" Mohammad asked his friend quietly.

"I panicked," Henry replied, now feeling rather embarrassed about what just happened.

Mohammad turned back toward Ron, determined to continue sticking up for his friend. "Look, just because one house tends to produce all the Death Eaters doesn't mean everyone from that house is rotten," he reasoned, "I mean, look at Professor Slughorn."

Ron nodded. He couldn't disagree with that. Professor Slughorn had a good heart. And there were some Slytherins around whom he could not deem to be evil. Theodore Nott came into mind as falling into that category, and he agreed with Ginny that Blaise Zabini was a "poser" (although he had probably been corrupted by his mother's way of life). "Okay, on that you're right," Ron admitted, "But I feel like it's better to be safe than sorry. And she scares me sometimes, to be honest with you."

"Scares you?" Henry remarked, more in surprise than in ridicule, "How does Megan scare you?"

This was something Ron wasn't embarrassed to admit. "There's something dangerous about her, Henry," he warned, "I can't put my finger on it, but something isn't right with her. She doesn't seem to show any restraint. Don't tell me you already forgot about the broken arm she gave you."

"It was an accident," he defended. He hadn't forgotten about that incident, but he forgave Megan even before his arm had been healed.

"It wouldn't have happened if she had followed our instructions," Ron countered, "We keep telling you to use restraint, but she never does."

"She's a Muggle-born, like me," Mohammad said, "She's got a chip on her shoulder. She wants to prove she belongs here with us."

"I know that's true for you, Mohammad," Ron replied, "But Megan is a different story entirely. Whenever I look at her and see her eyes, she scares me because I don't see anything there in those eyes. Nothing evil, nothing good. And that scares me, guys. Those are the eyes of a monster."

"Oh please," Henry said dismissively, "You're just paranoid."

"I hope I am," Ron responded honestly, "Because I'm going to allow Megan to stay in Dumbledore's Army for now. At least she won't betray us to You-Know-Who because she is a Muggle-born. I just have a very bad feeling about her." And with that, Ron walked up the nearby staircase to his bed to get some sleep from this day that had completely changed everything.

"He's so stupid," Henry muttered, "Megan would never betray us."

"I'm not so sure, Henry, to tell you the truth," Mohammad admitted, drawing a shocked stare from Henry, "Ron is right. I see the same thing that he does."

Henry was now incensed. "You are so wrong!" he raged, "Megan is a good person and when I see her, I see nothing but good in her eyes."

"That's because that's what you want to see in her," Mohammad pointed out, remaining calm in the face of Henry's anger, "You should just come out and admit that she's your girlfriend, Henry. It's so obvious."

"Girlfriend!?" Henry exclaimed, "She's not my girlfriend, Mohammad! She's just a friend."

"She's more than that to you Henry," Mohammad countered, "You and I both know that. And I know what it feels like, to be close to someone who really gets to you deep down inside."

"What's your point?" Henry asked, "What is it you want to say to me?"

Mohammad sighed. "I think Megan may not really be on our side, Henry," Mohammad explained.

"She'd never join forces with You-Know-Who!" Henry roared in frustration, "She has to be with us! There's no other choice!"

"But there is," Mohammad pointed out, "She may be in this for herself, for her own personal gain."

"Why would she do that?" Henry asked, "What could she possibly get out of being in this just for herself?"

"Power," Mohammad answered simply, "The kind of power that Slytherins would use any kind of deception to get at."

"She's only 11 years old, Mohammad!" Henry said incredulously, "What would an 11-year-old want that kind of power for?"

"An 11-year-old couldn't use it," Mohammad explained, "But a 21-year-old, that's a different matter entirely."

"You think Megan would masquerade as You-Know-Who's pawn for ten years for that?" Henry inquired.

"I don't know," Mohammad began, "But I'm absolutely certain she's capable of it. If she wants You-Know-Who's throne ten years from now, she is capable of getting it. And in the quest for that kind of power, no sacrifice is too small. You-Know-Who is proof of that."

"You're nuts!" Henry declared, "You must be out of your mind! You know, I'm just going to go to bed now and assume that this is just a bad dream of mine." He muttered all the way up to his bed.

Mohammad knew that there was no convincing Henry about his point. Henry had let Megan too far under his skin for him to think there was anything bad about her. Mohammad had no doubt that Megan was an extremely cunning person, who would resort to many things to get what she wanted. He only hoped that Megan liked Henry just as much as he liked her. Like Ron, Mohammad hoped that he was wrong as he went up the stairs to his bed to get some sleep, though most of the Gryffindors wouldn't sleep well for a long time.

----------

It was one minute before midnight when Ginny quietly came off the staircase into the Gryffindor common room. She looked around and found it to be completely deserted and that the fireplace was burning dimly, although its magical flame brightened a good amount when it sensed Ginny's presence enter the room. She didn't need that to remind herself that it was the fireplace she needed to watch for. From Geoff and Harry's pointing out the fireplace, Ginny knew that Harry would either be coming through the Floo Network or that they would be talking to each other over it. She was desperately hoping that the former would be the case here.

The minute took forever to pass, but finally both hands of the grandfather clock in the common room hit the 12 at the top of the dial, switching the day to December 26, 1997 automatically. The clock also softly chimed twelve times. Ginny kept staring at the fireplace for some sign of change, but nothing happened. And as the final chime of the clock sounded, she started to think that whatever Geoff and Harry had planned for tonight was interrupted by some unforseen event, perhaps something to do with the Ministry takeover.

As she looked away from the fireplace for a moment to give her eyes something else to look at, however, she heard the fireplace give off a loud noise consistent with a sudden increase in the fire's activity. She heard this and looked back at the fireplace and what she saw there made her shake her head with her eyes closed for a moment before opening them again. She had seen this before, but it was a bit of a shock to see Harry Potter's head floating in the middle of the fire.

"Hello Ginny," Harry's head greeted, "It's good to see you again after so many months."

It took Ginny a moment to set her head on straight again, but once that was done, she was eager to talk with the most wanted fugitive in Wizarding Britain. "It's good to see you too, Harry," Ginny answered as she stood up and walked over to the fireplace, "Thanks for the necklace. It's beautiful."

"Thanks," Harry replied as Ginny crouched down so as to be on the same level as Harry's head. It was at this point that she examined him closely and saw how remarkable it was that she recognized him at all. It was only because of his brilliant green eyes that she recognized him so quickly. Starting from the bottom, she noticed that his chin and the sides of his head were starting to turn black as he was starting to grow a proper beard for the first time in his life. Moving up the face, his glasses were missing. And as a final touch, the hair on Harry's head had been cut by a drastic amount as he now sported a crew cut. Ginny thought this would make the lightning bolt-shaped scar on his forehead more apparent, but she saw that even this was gone now. Harry chuckled as he saw Ginny looking across his forehead several times, looking for it.

"Geoff has done a number on my appearance over the past month, I'll tell you that much," he commented with a chuckle, "He even wanted to change my eye and hair color, just to be on the safe side. I guess he had a point, since you recognized me almost immediately."

"Uh, yeah, I guess so," Ginny replied, "What happened to your scar?"

"It's still there," Harry assured her, "It's just covered up at this point. A bit of Muggle make-up work. I'm wearing contacts now as well, although Geoff insisted that we get a set with blue irises to further the disguise. He insisted that my green eyes are far too recognizable, especially around those who know me."

_He's right about that,_ Ginny thought. "But blue eyes and black hair don't fit together usually," she pointed out.

"Which is why he also proposed turning all my hair blonde," Harry continued with a grimace, "I don't like that idea, but unless I do it, I get the feeling I'm going to be stuck hiding in dark places for a rather long time."

"Don't you think it's a bit dangerous to talk via Floo Network now that the Ministry is in You-Know-Who's hands?" she inquired, that thought having just surfaced in her mind, "Where are you, anyway?" She knew that Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place was not connected to the Network.

"I've been assured that the Death Eaters won't be able to gain control of the Floo Network until later this morning," Harry answered, "As for where I am, all I can tell you is that I'm in a secure location. You don't need to worry about my safety, Ginny, so don't you worry about me."

"I can't help it, Harry," she admitted, "I won't be able to talk to you anymore now that every line of communication out of Hogwarts is going to be monitored or severed. But I guess I shouldn't feel too upset, considering that you only have one Horcrux left to go before you can finish off You-Know-Who."

"One that we know of," Harry cautioned, "Geoff tells me that there could be another one. But I'm out of action for a while here, so it won't be until March that I'm of any use to anyone again."

"About that," Ginny began, "How is your arm doing?"

"It's getting better, although it still looks charred," he explained, "It doesn't hurt so much anymore, but it is really unnerving to look at it. It just reminds me too much of what happened to Dumbledore."

Ginny nodded. Harry didn't need to say anything more about that, nor did he want to. And she didn't want to relive that night, either. She decided to talk about something else. "If the Ministry isn't watching the Floo Network right now, why don't you just come through and see me in person?" she inquired, hoping that Harry would do just that.

But he had to disappoint her on this occasion and shook his head. "If I came through, you'd never let me go back," he explained, "Plus if someone were to walk in on me, things would get very complicated very quickly. Trust me. This is better for both of us right now."

Ginny frowned upon hearing this. "I miss you so much," she pointed out.

"I miss you too, Ginny," he replied, "And when this is all over, I promise that I'll never leave you like this again. How are Ron and Hermione doing?"

"Ron got into a bit of a row with Professor Gryffindor's son earlier today over some Slytherin girl Henry's really close to," Ginny informed him.

"Is this girl's name Megan Blaire?" Harry inquired.

"Yeah, that's her," she affirmed, "She's the only Slytherin in Dumbledore's Army and Ron said that we needed to kick her out because of that. Henry got really pissed at that. I don't know where I stand on this issue, but she scares me, Harry."

"She's only a first year," he stated while stifling a chuckle, "What's there to be scared about?"

"She's pretty damn powerful," she answered, "And her eyes . . . Harry, there's nothing there in those eyes. Nothing at all. It's as if her soul is dead or something."

Harry had to think back to Halloween to remember what Megan looked like. "I never really took a good look at her, so I don't really know about this one," he said, "But she was nice enough to help me get back to Geoff's office, so she can't be all that bad."

"No, I suppose not," Ginny agreed, "As for Hermione, she's the same as ever, reading all the time or else berating Ron's lack of intelligence." They shared a smile at this.

"Sounds just like old times," Harry said nostalgically, "I really wish I were there to see all this."

"Yeah, same here," Ginny replied as she looked toward the floor.

"_I needed fulfillment._

_I found what I need in you . . . "_

"Ginny, listen," Harry began, making Ginny look up again, "Everything is going to be fine. I'm going to find the last of those Horcruxes and then kill You-Know-Who. And then we can live happily ever after."

"I hope so," Ginny responded quietly, "Do you know anything about any members of the Order?"

Harry shook his head. "Nothing for certain at this point," he answered, "I'm sure most of them are still alive, although they're now scattered all over the place. We're going to have to find some way to keep everyone in touch with each other. I'm sure Geoff has a plan for that. He's a very smart wizard, you know."

"Yeah," Ginny agreed, "And he doesn't give you false hope, that's for sure."

"What do you mean by that?" he inquired.

"He told us that our friends and family could be attacked by Death Eaters now," she explained, "That they would be targeted to make us give in to their demands. I just hope my family will be alright."

"Actually, I have some news for you about that," Harry said as Ginny's words reminded him of something he heard from Severus earlier that day, "Bill and Fleur will be leaving by boat for France, first thing tomorrow morning. They'll be safe with her family, at least for a while. Haven't heard anything about Charlie since the wedding back in August."

"That means he's back in Romania with the dragons again," Ginny deduced, "They shouldn't bother with him."

"I would think that's true," Harry replied, "Percy isn't a pure-blood fanatic, but I would be shocked if he broke from the Ministry line, so he's not going to be hunted at all."

At the mentioning of this brother, Ginny scowled. She couldn't help it. Percy's behavior had become worse since the wedding. He was now so disconnected from the rest of his family that she didn't even consider him to be related to her in any way anymore. "What about Fred and George?" she inquired.

"They can get out of any trouble the Death Eaters can throw at them," he assured her, "They've probably already abandoned their shop and have gone underground. They're probably plotting some devilish scheme against the Death Eaters as we speak."

Ginny nodded. That sounded like Fred and George for sure. "And my dad?" she asked.

"I think he'll be safe for now," Harry responded after a moment, "He does some good work for the Ministry, so they'd rather not use him as a hostage. And your mother is really strong willed. I'd like to see a Death Eater in their right mind threaten her husband or any of her children. I wouldn't worry about Geoff's warning, Ginny. Your family members are fairly safe compared to some others."

"Like who?" Ginny continued. She needed to prepare herself to face those who would be struck with tragedy.

"Well, the parents of any of the Muggle-born students will be at especially high risk," Harry reported, "Geoff has contacts all over Britain, though, so they'll do whatever they can to protect them. In fact, we're going to be watching over Greater London."

Ginny smiled at the thought of Harry going outdoors as he currently appeared. "You can't go outside looking like that," she stated, "It just doesn't work."

"Yeah, I've been thinking about that," he replied as he stroked his facial hair, "I think I should go with a goatee. It would fit better with my shaved head, I think."

Ginny nodded. "And then you could join your mates at Craven Cottage," she suggested, "You'd fit right in."

They both laughed at that. "Unfortunately, I don't think my current guardians are going to allow me to do that," Harry pointed out, "Too much danger to myself and those around me."

"Yeah, I suppose you're right," Ginny admitted, "It's so strange, how just a hair cut and facial hair can make someone look completely different."

"Yeah, it shocks me as well, I assure you," Harry confirmed, "From a distance, I don't think any Death Eater would be able to recognize me now."

"It would certainly be a challenge," Ginny agreed, "Did you hear about the Gryffindor-Slytherin match yet?"

"Geoff told me you guys won," Harry responded, "But was there actually a fight on the pitch?"

"Mohammad got whacked in the head by Crabbe, and he's not the kind of person to let something like that just slip past him unnoticed," she answered, "He was holding his own against Crabbe until Goyle ran up and gave his head another swing."

"Two hits to the head with Beaters' bats?" Harry asked incredulously, "That kid must be pretty resistant to pain to keep walking after those and a fight."

"He's probably going to replace Ron at Keeper after this year is over," Ginny informed, "He's only been scored upon once in competition and never in practice. I've seen him in action defending the goals and it is remarkable. It's as if he knows exactly where that Quaffle will be going before the other team's Chasers know."

"That's impressive," he replied, "Too bad I won't be able to see him in action."

"You won't be playing Quidditch next year?" she inquired, with a tone of shock in her voice.

Harry shook his head. "Not allowed to," he explained, "At least, that's what Geoff tells me. He's going to set me up with a professional Quidditch trainer, anyway. Says I've learned all I can playing Seeker for Gryffindor House. If it weren't for all the missed games I've had, I'd probably be getting visits from all the professional teams already. As it stands, I've had so many documented incidents within Hogwarts that all but the most desperate teams have labeled me with a red flag. Why on Earth do you think Fred and George aren't professionals at this point?"

Ginny initially thought that labeling Harry Potter a deviant in any way was absurd. But then she remembered all the times he had run afoul of the school rules. There was the incident with Norbert the Norwegian Ridgeback in his first year; the pudding incident and the Ford Anglia catastrophe during his second year; the trouble with his aunt and being associated with Sirius Black's escape in his third year; and the puzzling situation of becoming Hogwarts Champion in his fourth year. The fifth year saw the infractions really rack themselves up, though, mostly due to Dolores Umbridge. Now that she thought about it, Harry had a rap sheet that would cover at least two rolls of parchment. And Fred and George had far too many real offenses for any professional Quidditch team to spend money on. She had read through Ron's book on the worst decisions in Quidditch history, and quite a few of those stemmed from wizards and witches who just couldn't stay out of trouble. "I'm sure someone would take a good look at you, though," Ginny assured.

"Geoff told me he's in almost constant contact with a Ragmar Dorkins, whoever that is," Harry informed, unsure of the significance behind that, "Is he some sort of scout?"

Ginny was absolutely shocked at how perfectly things seemed to fall into place now for them. "Harry, Ragmar Dorkins is the manager of the Chudley Cannons!" she exclaimed.

"Oh, you can't be serious," Harry answered with a grin, "What would Ron say if he knew this?"

"Probably that he would give you anything for a title," Ginny replied coyly, "Including his only sister."

They both shared a huge laugh at that statement. "Don't tell him, though," he ordered, "I want to see his reaction myself. And it's not like I've made the team yet anyway."

"Too true," she agreed, "What do you think of that new version of Quidditch they're trying out from the States?"

"Timed Quidditch?" Harry started, making sure they were on the same page, "I like the idea, though I think there are still a few kinks that need to be worked out of it. I'm very interested in watching that United States-Bulgaria friendly here in England on January 2."

"You mean you're going to see it yourself?" Ginny inquired.

"No, they wouldn't let me do that," he denied, "Though I know they're playing the game at Puddlemere Stadium in Ipswich. I've been promised a recording of it and the Prophet is sure to report on it anyway."

"Speaking of which," she began, "Geoff tells us not to listen to the Prophet starting tomorrow. Well, today, actually."

"Well, I would think they'd still report on sports well enough," Harry mused, "It's the real news that I'd be careful about. Assume that nothing reported there is true unless Geoff tells you otherwise. I suppose that's a good rule of thumb for everything. Just listen to Geoff."

"You sure?" Ginny inquired, "I've heard some bad things about his past. It's rumored he committed some murders in the past or something."

"He's killed Death Eaters, yeah," Harry confirmed, "And he still does. But he'll get us through this. Just listen to him. It's kept me alive so far."

Ginny nodded in response to this. She simply could not see Geoff secretly cooperating with Voldemort or Death Eaters. But she had heard stories from her father about some of the things he supposedly did, though he was never convicted of any crimes. And she was nervous about Harry being so close to someone who possibly was so ruthless. "Some of these things my father told me about him," she commented, "He sounded almost like You-Know-Who, just on the other side from him and not necessarily with us."

Harry nodded. He heard most of Geoff's past from the man himself by this point. "It is a little disconcerting, but none of the real alternatives are much better, the way I see it," he responded, "He wants to see You-Know-Who dead at his feet, once and for all. I have no doubts about that. Just keep listening to him and you'll be fine, Ginny. I promise."

Both of them sensed that this conversation was beginning to draw to a close at this point. But neither of them wanted it to end. They searched through their minds, looking for one last thing to say before they spent the next unknown number of months completely isolated from each other. But neither found anything else.

"Ginny, we're going to make it through this," Harry began to conclude, "Just stay strong and we'll destroy this evil. I know that we'll win."

"I hope so," Ginny replied, not totally convinced by Harry's strong words, "I guess we should be going now."

Harry nodded. "Stay safe," he said, "And I love you."

"I love you too," Ginny replied as Harry's head disappeared from the fire and it came back down to its normal state.

A tear ran down from Ginny's right eye as she remained in front of the fireplace for a minute after the conversation had ended and thought about all they had said. She and Harry had talked about everything they could think of, knowing that they'd be out of contact for at least three months, but she still felt disappointed when it was over. Neither of them were at fault. There was just no substitute for physical contact. She wanted to touch Harry, to embrace him, to kiss him. She wanted to feel the warmth of his body pressing against hers. She wanted so much more than Harry could have given to her now.

_I have to be strong,_ Ginny thought as she stood up again, _I have to see this through. I must see this through. It's the only way I'll ever see Harry again._ And with that, she made her way back up to her bedroom to turn in for the night and await Hogwarts becoming an isolated community come sunrise. But as she put on her pajamas, she pulled out the necklace that Harry had sent her for Christmas. She ran her fingers over the gold, the emeralds, the sapphires and the rubies, wanting to make sure that it was all real. The necklace alone was probably worth more than the amount of money in the Weasley Family's vault in Gringotts. That made her start thinking about just how wealthy Harry had to be to give her this beautiful necklace instead of selling it himself. Even if that thought had never crossed his mind, that alone proved just how secure Harry was with his life if it weren't for all the enemies he had hunting him. An even bigger and more obvious show of his financial stability was when he just gave those thousand Galleons to Fred and George without a second thought. Ginny herself couldn't believe it until Harry confirmed the story to her once they got back to Hogwarts the next year. The thought of Harry's financial stability had never occurred to Ginny before this time, and from all she knew, she had to figure that it wasn't an issue at all.

Almost all human beings naturally desire two things: fortune and glory. And as Ginny fell asleep, she knew that Harry Potter had already achieved both. And it was strange, but whereas most people desire those two things, Harry Potter, who had both already before he was 20 years old, cared nothing for either. _I guess it's not so great being on top of the mountain sometimes,_ she thought as she fell asleep.

----------

Author's Notes: Obviously, Henry is not very happy at the moment. In fact, no one in Gryffindor House really is, what with all that's going on at this moment.

It is strange to think of Harry as a juvenile delinquent, but he does have a pretty long rap sheet at Hogwarts when you think about it. What with the dragon, the car, not to mention all the nonsense Umbridge put on him.

Trust me, facial hair DOES make a man look totally different. I know this from experience.

For those of you who don't know, Craven Cottage is the home of Fulham F.C., a soccer club based in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham (which is within Greater London, but is to the west of the City of London itself). Fulham currently play in the Premier League, but during the 1997-98 season were in the Football League Second Division (now known as Football League One). They would go on to finish in sixth place in the standings that season, but would win the division the following year and were moved up to First Division (now the Football League Championship). Two seasons later (the 2000-01 season), Fulham would win that league and move up into the Premier League, where they have remained ever since, though not without some close calls with relegation. The 1997-98 season was Fulham's first with their current owner, Egyptian millionaire Mohamed Al-Fayed.

I say all this because I am a Fulham F.C. fan, and so is Harry Potter. The latter statement actually makes a bit of sense in two ways. First, Harry grew up in Little Whinging, which is in the county of Surrey. While Little Whinging doesn't actually exist, the County of Surrey does and borders Greater London to the southwest. So Fulham would actually be fairly close geographically to Little Whinging. And the second reason why I chose Fulham to be Harry Potter's club is that Harry Potter actually is a Fulham fan. Daniel Radcliffe, the actor who plays Harry Potter in the movies, is actually a Fulham F.C. fan. Call this a case of reality becoming fiction.

And sorry ProfessorChris, but Rupert Grint (who plays Ron Weasley) supports Tottenham Hotspur. Tough luck, man.

Well, that's about all for now. Until next week, everyone.


	24. 23: A Change of Hats

Author's Notes: Thank you to all the readers out there. This story is now over 14,500 hits. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Must be interesting in your house whenever the North London derby occurs. As for Megan... well, we'll see about what happens with her. She certainly is an ambitious girl. Thanks for your support.

Last chapter's Monty Python reference was where a flustered Henry blurted out "Burma!" This is a reference to episode 22 of Monty Python's Flying Circus, "How to Recognise Different Parts of the Body." The sketch in question is "Exploding Penguin on the TV Set" and has become another famous sketch in Monty Python lore. In this sketch, Graham Chapman and John Cleese play two pepperpots who are arguing about the penguin on top of their TV set. At one point in the sketch, Chapman forgot his line and shouted "Burma!" Cleese was caught off-guard and Chapman just sat still for a few seconds, but both stayed in character and the sketch continued.

Well, the regular weekly updates for this story will end after the next few chapters are posted. Hopefully I can get chapter 26 finished by then, but I do have a one-shot story waiting to hold you guys over for new chapters of this story. This story will be finished; I know where I want to go with it from here. It's just that school keeps interfereing with my ability to write. I'll also need to get to serious work on my other upcoming story, The Legend of Zelda: Dark Apprentice.

Well, enough of my jabbering. Lets get back to the action.

**Chapter 23: A Change of Hats**

Later that day, four people who had Apparated from London to Hogsmeade walked up to Hogwarts Castle. Once inside, they made their way up to the seventh floor of the building. Most of the first and second year students whom they encountered in the hallways backed away from them because of the black cloaks two of them wore, which hid most of their faces in shadow as they followed the other two individuals through the hallways. Their details were hard to discern, though at least one of the cloaked individuals was obviously a female, who was slightly shorter than the other cloaked individual. Their presence here in Hogwarts was a bit foreboding, although Headmistress McGonagall was expecting them.

Most of the students, however, were shocked more by the woman walking in front. She was a squat, toad-like woman who wore a pink robe with Ministry patches stitched onto the front and both arms for all to see. She also wore a short velvet bow in her short and tightly-curled hair and was holding a clipboard in front of her. Every Gryffindor house student recognized her immediately and either glared at her with malice or backed away in fear, some clutching the backs of their hands as they saw her. There were no Slytherin students around that would have recognized her, but they would have been very happy to see her again.

The fourth individual was a young man whom a select number of students would have recognized, and none of them encountered the group on their way up to the Headmistress's room. He was tall and thin. His red hair gave away part of his identity to those who knew anything about wizard families, and then his horn-rimmed glasses and figure gave away the rest of it. His family was persona non grata to the three people around him, but his history separated him from all that enough for them to bring him along on this trip. He occasionally glanced back and forth, remembering the times when he walked the halls of this castle as a student. Unknown to the other three people with him, however, his past history would become meaningless within the hour.

The four people made it to the seventh floor and approached the gargoyle that blocked to way up that particular tower. "Did they send you the password, Mr. Weasley?" the woman in pink inquired in her high-pitched voice that reminded him of a little girl's, though he still had some amount of respect for her.

"Yes, yes, they sent it to me," Percy affirmed as he cleared his throat, "Bing Tiddle Tiddle Bong."

The gargoyle leapt aside, allowing them to go up to the office on the ascending spiral staircase. The gargoyle jumped back into place as they went up. After about fifteen seconds, they found themselves standing at a polished oak door with a brass knocker in the shape of a griffin. Percy took hold of the knocker and used it to hit the door twice.

A moment passed before they heard McGonagall's voice say, "You may enter."

Percy opened the door and the four people entered the circular room. On the walls all around the office were the portraits of pervious Headmasters and Headmistresses of Hogwarts, many of whom were watching the four entering the room intently. Dumbledore, however, was fast asleep in his portrait, which hung directly behind the desk in the room. This desk was a bit cluttered with paperwork at the moment, as Minerva McGonagall stood up from the high-backed chair to greet the Ministry representatives. However, it was the second person who was already in the room that gave the four cause for concern.

"Headmistress McGonagall, I was under the impression that you would be meeting with us alone," the woman in pink stated.

Minerva smiled upon hearing that. "Last time you and I were together, Dolores, I took four stunning spells to the chest," she reminded, "I am not keen on repeating that experience this time."

"I demand that you remove this murderer from my presence immediately!" Umbridge exclaimed, raising her voice.

"I can remove him permanently if you want, Dolores," the cloaked woman pointed out in her harsh voice as she reached for her wand, "Just give me the word and it shall be done."

However, she had made a mistake in speaking out loud. Geoffrey Gryffindor was now sure of the identity of this woman. He reached for and drew his wand immediately. "Bellatrix Lestrange," he muttered through his teeth with pure hatred as he pointed his wand at her, though Percy was in the way, "You point that wand at either Minerva or myself and you will not leave this castle alive."

"Better do as he says, Bellatrix," the other cloaked figure suggested, obviously a man by his low-pitched voice, "He is a very dangerous man to cross."

"I fear no one except the Dark Lord himself!" she snapped back as she removed her hood, revealing her long black hair and heavy-lidded eyes to everyone in the room. Arrogance seemed to emanate from her very being.

This unveiling only made Geoff's anger even greater. "Avery, if that's you, tell this bitch to chill," he suggested, having recognized the cloaked man from his voice.

Bellatrix's eyes went wide in rage. "What did you just call me!?" she roared as she brought her wand out.

"Bella! Don't! He wants you to do this! He's looking for an excuse!" Avery responded as he grabbed her right wrist before she could give Geoff the one movement from it he was looking for.

"No one speaks to me like that and lives!" Lestrange shouted back, "I will kill you, Gryffindor!"

"I'd love to see you try," Geoff replied, "Because I would love to see you dead at my feet."

"Enough of this!" Minerva exclaimed, silencing both of them, "We have official business to discuss. If you must settle your blood feud, please do it outdoors."

"Sorry, Minerva," Geoff apologized, but didn't put away his wand. Instead, he took the thin, eighteen-inch wand made of elder and with a dragon heartstring core, and pulled apart the two ends, separating the wand in half, and then gripped a half in either hand as if they were two separate wands.

"Headmistress McGonagall, remove this criminal from my presence immediately!" Umbridge repeated.

"I'm not going anywhere, Dolores," Geoff responded, "You can deal with me or you can leave the grounds now. Your choice."

"Dolores, he sounds resolute on that," Percy pointed out, "Just present our demands, please."

"Well, fine," Dolores replied bitterly as she looked down at her clipboard, "Headmistress McGonagall, we are here on Ministry business, specifically ordered by Minister for Magic Thicknesse himself, to ensure that the students of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry are receiving a first class education in all areas of the magical arts. To this end, we have been sent here to evaluate the proceedings here at Hogwarts and provide a list of recommendations to improve the education of Britain's young witches and wizards. As a matter of fact, I have with me a list of recommendations to be implemented upon the start of the second term of this school year."

"We shall evaluate your recommendations, Dolores," Minerva pointed out, "But I have the final say on implementation."

"Of course you do," Bellatrix noted sarcastically.

"Is that a threat?" Geoffrey inquired.

"Geoffrey," Minerva called, "Don't start this again."

Geoff stood down, though he would not be bullied around by Bellatrix. He was the dominant one, the one in charge, and he wanted these Ministry lackeys to know that. Percy and Avery were getting the message immediately, but the arrogant women would need more time, it seemed. _Not surprising,_ Geoff thought, _These two take a back seat to no one._

"The first item on the list," Dolores began, "Is the expulsion of any students in this school who cannot prove that they have wizarding lineage."

"Expulsion for being a Muggle-born?" Geoff inquired as if surprised, "That's ridiculous! The children can't help that they are born a wizard or witch."

"The only way to have magical powers is to have magical blood in your veins or to steal powers from a wizard or witch," Dolores answered, "Any so-called Muggle-born in this school has stolen their wand and need to be punished."

Geoffrey was about to respond to this, but Minerva cut him off and cut the conversation short. "Absolutely unacceptable," she declared, "We will not expel students for what they are."

"This is a demand from the Ministry!" Dolores declared.

"Which Headmistress McGonagall is free to disregard if she believes it to not be in the best interest of this school," Geoff calmly explained, "And in this case, she believes it isn't. Lets move on, please."

Bellatrix was tightening her grip on her wand, which Geoff was watching out for like an owl staring at its prey before it strikes. His stare finally got her respect, though she'd still kill him in an instant if she got the chance. She knew his body count was bigger than hers, and that just wouldn't do at all for her.

It took a moment for Umbridge to regain her composure before moving on. "Fine then. Second, we are looking at a few changes in the Hogwarts staff," she continued, "We are looking to replace the Defense Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies teachers."

"I didn't realize you'd tell the Ministry I was incompetent behind my back, Minerva," Geoff stated.

"I didn't," McGonagall replied truthfully, "Though I am uncomfortable with Professor Burbage's continued use of indoctrination in her classes."

Geoff groaned at this. "Again!?" he asked, "I just can't get through to her."

"Can we take it that you'll consider replacing Professor Burbage?" Percy asked.

"If you can provide us with a more qualified candidate, then yes, we will," Minerva affirmed, "However, I feel Professor Gryffindor here is a fine teacher of Defense Against the Dark Arts."

"His past history puts your students at grave risk," Dolores explained, "This man has been linked with no less than 17 murders."

"Linked, not convicted," Geoff pointed out.

"Just admit that you did them, Gryffindor," Bellatrix demanded, "I know you did. What did you feel when you realized you killed a human?"

"I don't know," Geoff answered, "But I'd be happy to find out using you as my guinea pig."

"Geoffrey! That's enough!" McGonagall shouted.

"No, let him keep talking," Bellatrix goaded, "Lets see how deep a grave he'll dig for himself."

However, Geoff did not respond to this. He knew that the Ministry would be digging up evidence against him to question his innocence. He had already been found not guilty for the 1990 killings, but there were six others that occurred in 1982 that he was also connected to that were never tried in court. And those killings gave Geoffrey Gryffindor the reputation he relied upon so much now. The seventeenth killed Death Eater they referred to was almost certainly Charles Franks. Of course, there were many others as well.

"As I was saying, Dolores," Minerva continued, "I feel that Professor Gryffindor is doing a fine job. He's definitely better than you were, that's a fact."

She might as well have stood up, walked up to her, and slapped Dolores Jane Umbridge across the face. She did not take that well. "I provided my students with the knowledge . . . ," she began.

But Geoff wasn't going to let her finish. "Knowledge without practice is useless," he interrupted firmly, "You had no business being a teacher of any kind at this school."

If Minerva had given Dolores a slap to the face, Geoffrey just took a lead pipe and slammed it into her forehead. She was incensed at the nerve these two renegades were showing to the Ministry. "You are in complete contempt of the Ministry for Magic!" she exclaimed as her hands shook with anger.

Percy had to step in at this point, which was what Geoff wanted from the start. "Dolores, I think I should continue," he suggested firmly as he reached for the clipboard she was holding.

"No!" she shouted as she pulled it away from her junior colleague, "These two have insulted me. Insulted the Ministry! They must be disciplined!"

"Insulted the Ministry?" Geoff asked with mock surprise, "I don't recall insulting the Ministry. Do you recall that, Headmistress?"

"Not at all," Minerva replied, "Unless, Dolores, you ARE the Ministry."

Percy wasn't going to allow this anymore. He reached over and quickly ripped the clipboard out of Dolores's hands while she was still reeling from this blow. And now she was in a state of pure hysteria. "Mr. Weasley! You hand that back right now!" she screeched, making Geoff cringe.

"You're getting us nowhere, Dolores," Percy answered calmly, "As we were saying, Headmistress McGonagall, the Ministry would like to propose new candidates for these two teaching positions."

"And I'm always open to new, better teachers," McGonagall replied truthfully, "Who does the Ministry have in mind, exactly?"

Percy looked down at the clipboard for this information, as he hadn't even looked at it before. "Amycus Carrow and Alecto Carrow," he read as he looked back up at the two Hogwarts teachers, then looked back down quickly at the sheet, "Wait, that can't be right. They're wanted by the Ministry."

"They were exonerated earlier today," Avery informed, "I guess you didn't get this morning's memo."

"Well, I was asked to go to the school directly from my home this morning," Percy explained, "I haven't been in my office yet today."

"Understandable," Avery commented, "You'll get up to speed soon enough, I'm sure."

"Yeah," Percy replied uncertainly.

"The Carrows?" Geoff asked with surprise, "I didn't realize they were qualified for teaching." _Is that the best you losers can do? The Carrows?_ was what he was really thinking.

"May I point out that you are not qualified either, Mr. Gryffindor?" Dolores stated.

"Touche, Dolores," Geoff replied without interest.

"Of course, I will take a look at their credentials and get back to you on the possibilities of interviews," Minerva replied to Percy, "Is there anything else?"

"Yes," Weasley answered as he looked at the list again, "Third is to alter the curriculum in the two previously mentioned subjects, Defense Against the Dark Arts and Muggle Studies. I'll just give you sheets on the overview." Percy handed McGonagall and Gryffindor a sheet detailing how the curriculums of those courses were going to change.

"You want me to teach the students how to perform the Unforgivable Curses?" Geoff asked.

"You've already taught the seventh years the Killing Curse, from what we understand," Avery pointed out.

"Strictly for self defense purposes," he answered, "The other two Unforgivable Curses have no applications to self defense."

"Not all situations would demand use of the Killing Curse," Avery countered, "I'm sure you recognize that."

"I recognize that the other two Unforgivable Curses are only used by those who need to do something illegal and evil," Geoff stated firmly as he looked back down at his list again, "Allow students to use curses on each other as punishment for disobedience? What sort of school does the Ministry think we're running here?"

"Change the Muggle Studies curriculum to emphasize how Muggles are nothing like wizards and witches in any way?" Minerva paraphrased, "What for?"

"That is the Ministry's new line, McGonagall," Bellatrix answered, drawing a quick glance from Percy that no one but Geoff noticed.

"I would like to have some proof of this before I go and change the Muggle Studies curriculum," the Headmistress requested, "Along with independent verification."

_That'll take forever,_ Geoff thought.

"Of course Headmistress McGonagall," Percy answered, now going through the list of requests and becoming more and more unnerved by what he found there, "Next is a demand for mandatory education of all eligible students of magic here at Hogwarts."

This one caught Geoff a bit off guard. He wasn't expecting this. "Mandatory Hogwarts education for all witches and wizards?" he paraphrased.

"Yes, that would be accurate," Percy affirmed.

"Not everyone is cut out for Hogwarts, you know," Minerva stated, "And some parents prefer to home-school their children."

"Be that as it may," Dolores said, "We at the Ministry would prefer that you educate all young witches and wizards here."

"So you can have more bureaucrats?" Minerva inquired in a joking manner, though only she and Geoff laughed.

Geoff finally figured it out at this point. _This is in anticipation of a Hogwarts takeover,_ he realized, _Once they control the school, they can use it to brainwash the children into submitting to Voldemort's will. Hell, he'd probably take my job for himself. I wonder if this might apply to Harry as well._

Geoff decided to ask about that very subtly. "Would this also apply to a student who wants to take a year off from school voluntarily?" he asked.

"They would not be allowed to do so, no," Dolores answered, "We feel that it is essential for wizards and witches of that age to stay at school as regularly as possible."

"Speaking of students who aren't here that should be, where's Potter, Gryffindor?" Bellatrix demanded.

"Bellatrix," Avery said with a tone of caution in his voice, "Now may not be the best time for that."

"I have absolutely no idea where he is right now," Geoff stated. It wasn't exactly a lie, as he didn't know where Gary had taken him last night or where he was right now.

"Liar!" Lestrange shrieked as she moved forward slightly.

"Bellatrix! No!" Avery shouted as he put his arm up to stop her.

"Avery, stop being a coward!" Bellatrix responded, "You have always been weak."

"This isn't a battle you can win, Bellatrix," Avery warned, "You have to trust me on this."

"Once again," Geoff interrupted, "I have no idea where Harry Potter is at this time. Why are you interested in finding him?"

"The Ministry wants to question him about the events of June 1997," Dolores informed, "We feel he can help us in our investigation of Headmaster Dumbledore's murder."

"What makes you think Mr. Potter had anything to do with those events?" McGonagall asked.

"Don't play innocent with us, blood traitor," Bellatrix warned, emphasizing the epithet.

"Are you accusing Headmistress McGonagall of being dishonest?" Geoffrey inquired, trying to make Bellatrix stop overstepping boundaries.

"Yes, I am," she answered, starting to cross that boundary, "And I say you are lying as well, Gryffindor."

And now she went too far. After this, he started to walk forward toward Bellatrix. His body language indicated that he had no intentions of attacking at this time, but the gesture itself put everyone on edge and reaching for their wands in their robes. Geoff moved Percy aside as he took one final step and stopped just a foot in front of Bellatrix Lestrange. And now she pulled out her wand, though Geoff saw she wasn't going to use it yet. Geoff stared into her eyes, hardened by her life of crime and time served in Azkaban, for a few seconds before finally speaking again.

"If you were a man, I'd challenge you to a duel," he informed in a quiet, but intense, voice, "You have dishonored myself and my family with your accusation."

But Bellatrix wasn't going to back down. Those words only applied to her when confronting the Dark Lord. "Your family had no honor to lose, Gryffindor," she retorted, "You and all your family of blood traitors. You all make me sick."

"Bellatrix, please, don't do this," Avery reminded, "We're not here for that."

"I think I need to teach you, Avery," Bellatrix replied, not looking at her fellow Death Eater while still looking at Geoffrey, "That Geoffrey Gryffindor here is just a wizard like you, and nothing more. I could have killed him when I entered this room without a second thought."

"Then why didn't you?" Geoff asked.

Bellatrix smirked. "In good time, Gryffindor," she replied, "Your time will come. Your death will come."

"We all die, Bellatrix," Geoff pointed out, "I'm not afraid of death. It will come when it will for me, as for all of us."

"I'm not afraid to die, either," Lestrange answered.

In another time and place, Geoff was sure that he and Bellatrix Lestrange would have been allies, perhaps even friends. They were so similar, holding their beliefs so closely in mind that they could not be compromised. However, they were on different sides of this line in this war, and both of them knew that at least one of them would die at the other's hand before all was said and done. Besides Lord Voldemort, Bellatrix Lestrange was the only Death Eater who did not fear Geoffrey Gryffindor. Her master emphasized that while Harry Potter was the greater threat, Gryffindor was a close second. And since the Dark Lord wanted to destroy Potter himself, Bellatrix would have the honor of destroying the man once known as the most promising wizard of his generation, one who had already killed or had a hand in the deaths of at least 17 Death Eaters already.

As for Geoff, he knew that Bellatrix Lestrange was too powerful and skilled for anyone other than him to take on alone. She knew all the tricks in the book, just as he did. They were so equally matched that Geoff knew that it would be he who would kill her and finally end the brutality and pain she had caused for so long. He also desired her death to avenge his godson being left without proper parents at only the age of one. This was a challenge that had to be answered, and he had every intention of taking her life for the good of all and for his own peace of mind.

"Don't insult my family again," he warned as he backed away from her to where he stood before. He would not dare to turn his back on someone as dangerous and unstable as Bellatrix Lestrange.

McGonagall realized that this wasn't a situation that she could control anymore. The hatred between Geoffrey and Bellatrix was just too great. "Lets try to finish this quickly, please," she requested, "I allowed Mr. Potter to defer his last year of education at Hogwarts for personal reasons. He lost the closest thing he ever had to a father when Dumbledore died, you know. He needs time to sort out all his feelings. And he is of age. He may live wherever he wants to live."

"As I said, he needs to answer questions pertaining to Dumbledore's death," Dolores repeated.

"I thought that investigation was complete," Geoff stated.

"It was reopened this morning," Avery informed.

At this point, Percy turned around, a look of exasperation on his face. "Is there anything else that I should know about?" he asked in frustration, "I feel like I'm flailing in the dark here."

"You can catch up with everything when we get back to London, Percival," Dolores stated, "We can discuss it all over lunch."

"Yeah, sure, that sounds good," Percy replied as he glanced down at the list again, "Well, I think we should cut this short here since I feel like we're overstaying our welcome. I'll just leave this list of requests with you, Headmistress McGonagall."

Percy handed the list to Minerva, who accepted it immediately. "Is that all?" she inquired.

"I believe so," Percy answered, "If there's nothing else you want to say, we'll be leaving now."

"Actually, I'd like to speak to you, Mr. Weasley, and Avery in my office, if it isn't a problem," Geoffrey requested.

"Well, I guess I can spare the time," Percy answered, "But I can't be long. I really must get back to work."

"I can spare the time, certainly," Avery replied as he finally took his hood off, revealing his face. It was a face that would have made anyone believe he couldn't be a Death Eater, were it not for the scars. It was a face that was more rounded in shape, in opposition to the sharp features that defined the faces of Bellatrix and Geoffrey himself. His short black hair and brown eyes were hardened, but only because of experience.

"The rest of you may leave, then," Minerva said, "Have a nice day."

The two women from the Ministry left the room without another word, though Bellatrix gave Geoff a long look before leaving. Geoff waited two minutes before he too left the room, the two male Ministry representatives in tow.

----------

"Professor Gryffindor, what in Merlin's name is going on here?" Percy inquired inside Geoff's office, "What has happened with the Ministry? And why are known Death Eaters accompanying me here?"

"Come on, Percy," Geoff answered him, "I know you can put it all together."

"I don't think I want to," Percy pointed out.

"Then I'll do it for you," Geoff began, "Scrimgeour was tortured and killed yesterday by Death Eaters. You-Know-Who is in control of this country and everyone who was a member of the Order has pretty much been driven into hiding or, like your father, are watching their backs for attacks from Death Eaters. They're now trying to break through the autonomy this school has while in session and enforce their new line of fanatical pure-blood support on the young wizards and witches of this country."

"But I would have heard something . . . ," Percy began, wanting to deny the perfectly logical explanation he just heard.

"Heard from who?" Geoff demanded to know, "Who would have told you? Whom do you know in the Order?"

"My . . . ," Percy began to reply when he suddenly had an epiphany, "Oh, I've been a bloody fool, haven't I Geoff?"

Geoff nodded in response. "At least you're able to admit it, Percy," he said, "There's hope for you yet, young man."

Percy was still shaking his head slowly as he sat down and brought both his hands to his forehead. He didn't want to believe any of it. "What's going to happen to me?" he asked.

"Your record up to this point will keep you alive," Geoff assured, "Though I'm sure you're no Death Eater."

"Of course I'm not!" Percy exclaimed as he looked up at Geoffrey, "I'd never support any of these measures! And I would never join them!"

Geoff nodded, obviously in deep thought about something. After a few moments, he finally spoke again. "Percy," he began, "Would you be willing to work for me for a while?"

Percy knew what he meant by that immediately. "You want me to be your spy," he stated bluntly.

"Sure, however you want to phrase it," Geoff replied, "You want to make your mother and father proud of you again?"

"What would you want me to do?" the younger man inquired, "I'm just a clerk."

"A little rule for spies," the older man instructed, "Hear all, trust nothing. You will report everything you hear to me on a regular basis via an encoding device I'll give to you and show you how to use it. You'll send me messages in the guise of forcing me to accept the Ministry's authority. It's very simple, really."

"And if I get caught?" Percy asked, though he knew what always happened to caught spies.

"I'll make sure you know when to get out of dodge, as our American friends would say," Geoff assured, "I have my ways of communicating with your father. And even if his employment with the Ministry was terminated, I have back up plans for informing my people of danger. You'd be able to get out of danger before you'd see an executioner. This is a risk Percy, one that I cannot force upon you. If you do not wish to help me, I will not make you do this. It's your choice and your responsibility."

But Percy knew there was no choice. He had to make amends for all of his foolish behavior. He had put his career ahead of everything else, even his own family. And now he was adrift at sea with only one lifeboat nearby, and that lifeboat happened to have Geoffrey Gryffindor already in it. "I'll begin immediately," Percy stated as he stood up.

"You're sure?" Geoff asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," Percy affirmed, "I'll let you know about everything I hear."

"Just so you know," Geoff began to explain, "If the Ministry starts suspecting you, they may start passing off information to you intentionally to catch you red-handed when their target turns up missing for no reason. I won't be able to use all the information you provide me and we won't be able to save everyone you hear of being attacked. It's just the way this goes, so don't get discouraged."

"Yes sir," Percy answered.

"Now, if you'll come over here," Geoff requested as he dug through his desk for something, "I'll show you how to use this device."

----------

"It's good to talk to you again, my old friend," Geoffrey stated as he and Avery stopped on a covered bridge on the grounds that offered those who walked on it a look at the beautiful Scottish countryside, "I just wish it could be under better circumstances."

"Yeah, I hear you on that," Avery replied, "But the Dark Lord is back and we're in control now."

"Yes, it seems that way, for now," Geoff replied.

"How is Gary doing?" Avery inquired, "I haven't seen him since my last year here at Hogwarts when he was just coming in."

"He's doing fine," Geoff replied.

Geoff was gazing at the countryside to the south while Avery glanced between that and Geoff a few times, trying to find the courage to take this conversation on a new line. "It's not too late, you know," he finally informed.

"Not too late for what?" Geoff asked.

"To join us," Avery answered, "The Dark Lord would be more than happy to accept such a powerful wizard into his service, and a pure-blood at that. You'd soon become his second-in-command."

Geoff laughed at that notion. "More dear to him than even Bellatrix?" he inquired.

"Bellatrix's strength comes from her reputation for brutality and violence," Avery explained, "You are more powerful than her, without a doubt."

"And he'd trust me with that position?" Geoff asked, "Considering all I've supposedly done to him, I would think he'd want me dead."

"He could not pass up on such a powerful wizard like you," Avery replied, "And he could help you unlock all the magical potential that still remains within you. I remember that you used to brag about how powerful you'd become one day, Geoff. Don't you still dream of finding that power?"

Geoff decided to end this charade now. He turned to look at Avery, who was now looking back at him. "Avery, your master would never let me live because of that potential," he explained, "I'd always be a threat to him. And my past would never allow him to trust me. You know that."

Indeed, Avery did know the main reason behind Geoffrey's change from a kind boy to the man he was now. "That scar runs that deep with you," he realized.

"It was over, Avery," Geoff began ranting, "And everyone knew it. He was gone. The war was over. And when the war is over, the fighting ends. There are no more attacks from either side."

"Your side attacked ours," Avery accused.

"Death Eaters had to be punished for what they had done, you know that," Geoff asserted, "You fought a revolution and you lost. You knew what would happen in that case."

"It just seemed like we couldn't be stopped," Avery recalled, "The whole failure thing never came to mind. And then Halloween came and . . . "

"Yeah, I understand what you mean," Geoff said, "But it was over. The Lestranges could have just fled overseas and never been seen again. They may have even found You-Know-Who. They didn't have to do that to Frank and Alice."

Avery had to tread carefully here. "They felt like they knew where the Dark Lord was," he said.

"No, that wasn't it," Geoff denied immediately, "I heard the testimony in court. The other three wanted to leave after they saw that they knew nothing, but it was that bitch who kept them there! She wanted to see Frank and Alice suffer beyond any measure imaginable. I went to see them in St. Mungo's and I was broken when I saw them. I couldn't believe that any human being could inflict such pain just for its own sake." By now, Avery saw that Geoff was on the verge of tears.

"Her faith in the Dark Lord is absolute and unwavering," Avery admitted.

"She must be destroyed," Geoff resolved, "A monster like her cannot be allowed to live and inflict any more pain on anyone else. She cannot be allowed to torture or kill again."

"Then join us, Geoffrey," Avery demanded, seeing a chink in his armor, "You could challenge her as our second-in-command. You could free us all of her influence."

"No, I will get my opportunity soon enough," Geoff denied, "I am a patient man, Avery. I will wait for that opportunity without joining what I seek to destroy."

"Geoff, I know of your beliefs about Muggles and wizards," Avery countered, "How you believe we're the next phase of the human race and that we will eventually replace the Muggles."

"What of it?" Geoff asked.

"The new, superior species should supplant the old, inferior one," Avery explained, "That's the way your evolution works. How is what we do any different from other instances of evolution?"

"We aren't animals, Avery," the Hogwarts professor answered, "We don't have to resort to force and we can think beyond such things. The evolution is one way and irreversible. Why should we kill Muggles when the evolution will be accomplished on its own? Unless, of course, we wizards and witches keep having no children, like so many of you Death Eaters do."

"Our devotion has to be to the Dark Lord and him alone," Avery stated.

Geoff shook his head. "I couldn't do that," he admitted, "I love my wife and children too much to give such a thing to your master. That's why I feel your organization is a disgrace to all wizards and witches. Your master demands everything from you, and in exchange for what? Power? What good is power when you have nothing to do with it? No future generation to benefit from it?"

"Geoff, that's not true," Avery denied.

"Really?" Geoff retorted, "How many children do all these Death Eaters have in total?"

Avery hesitated before he answered. "Not many, I have to admit," he said.

"And thus you completely defeat the point of evolution," Geoff accused, "Not only do you not multiply, but you also kill off other wizards and witches. That makes no sense."

"I don't enjoy serving him," Avery confessed, "And I never did."

Now it was Geoff's chance. "Then join me," he encouraged his friend, "I will demand your loyalty and nothing else."

"The Dark Lord made me suffer for my lapses before," Avery began, "He would have me killed for abandoning him again."

"I can protect you," Geoff assured.

Avery took a few moments to think, but then shook his head. "I'm sorry Geoff, but I've made my bed," he said, "And now I have to sleep in it. I'll see you around, I hope."

"Yeah, see you later," Geoff replied as Avery began to leave. He was extremely disappointed that he had failed to convert Avery to his cause. He was close, but Voldemort had established too much fear in his mind for Avery to even try to abandon him again.

With a sigh, Geoffrey Gryffindor walked back inside the castle and went back to his office. He had a lot of things to do before the students got back for the spring term. Meanwhile, Megan finally came out from hiding behind an outcropping in the covered bridge. She was not seen, yet she had heard everything.

"Evolution," she mused as she made her way back to the Slytherin common room, "Maybe Granger should know about this."

----------

From the pages of the Daily Prophet:

BULGARIA OVER USA IN FRIENDLY

BULGARIA EARNS NARROW WIN IN FIRST TIMED QUIDDITCH FRIENDLY

The first ever international Timed Quidditch friendly turned out to be a huge success, as the Bulgarian National Quidditch team and the reigning championship team from the United States of America played 120 minutes of exciting Quidditch action, with the conclusion of the game never a certainty until the final second went off the clock.

In the end, USA seeker and captain Maximus Brankovitch III was unable to catch the Golden Snitch in time with his team down two points, as time ran out on the game just seconds before he could grab it and Bulgaria defeated the USA by the score of 75 (15 and 30) to 73 (15 and 28) in a game that had everyone shouting out with excitement, despite the lack of talent on both sides outside of the seeker position (the scores in Timed Quidditch are often expressed in the form of "captures and goals," as shown here).

"Of course, I hate losing, but I feel that this event was a big success," Brankovitch said in the post game press conference, "There were over 60,000 wizards and witches packed into the stadium and I don't think they sat down for a moment while the teams were flying. Of course, this shows us that we need to get better, and we will get better. I really hope that this game spreads now that you have had a taste of it."

As previously reported, a timing issue may have come with this game, and that was definitely an issue that caused controversy at the end of the game. Only two seconds after time expired on the game, Brankovitch caught what would have been a game-winning capture for the Americans, but as time had expired, it did not count. Both seekers declared that this violated the spirit of the game itself.

"The rules of play definitely need some improvement," Bulgarian seeker and captain Viktor Krum declared, "The play just started and stopped too much in my opinion. Every time someone scores, the players have to reset and start all over again."

"Well, that's something I didn't like when the IAQ [International Association of Quidditch] released their version of the rules for this game," Brankovitch pointed out, "Because it's really two different games going on at once, and each game can continue while the other one resets on its own. We could keep the clock running while play for one set of players resets and the other set keeps battling for points. That's how it usually works in the States. Of course, we'd still stop the clock for injuries and timeouts, which only the team with possession of the Quaffle should be allowed to use. And never to be used to deny a Seeker the Snitch."

"I agree with you on that," Krum replied as IAQ head Hassan Mostafa took notes feverishly, "Another thing is that I feel you were robbed at the end of the game when they didn't award you with that last capture. I think there should be a rule that each half lasts 60 minutes plus one capture of the Snitch."

"That sounds good, yes," Brankovitch responded, "But lets remember that you were robbed of a capture at the end of the first half for the exact same reason I was robbed of one at the end of the second half. So we still would have lost by two points. Also, such a rule would encourage the seeker on the team that's behind by more than three at the end to just block the other team's seeker from getting this Snitch, which isn't any fun at all."

"You and I both know that tactic only works for so long," Krum countered, drawing a laugh from everyone present.

When asked about the potential of this new game format, Krum was very positive about the game. "I believe that this game is the future of our sport," he stated, "It's exciting, it's consistent, and it's fair. On an average team, you'll get three goals on average for every one capture and with modifications, this will render the old points-basis league system completely unnecessary. You can just go on wins, ties, and losses, with point differential as a tiebreaker."

"I have nothing to add to that assessment," Brankovitch replied, drawing a laugh from those present.

Also present at the game were management employees from all the teams of the British and Irish Quidditch League, including five owners, along with the league's commissioner, who declined to comment to the Prophet at this time. However, several of the owners present felt the game has much promise and will watch its evolution carefully.

The press conference was cut short by the USA team's security personnel. There has been no explanation for this action at this time.

----------

Author's Notes: Don't worry, this is the last time you'll be seeing Dolores Umbridge in this story. I hate everything about her character. However, in a future Harry Potter story, Echoes of a Lost Past, she will play a major role in the story. However, that's still way far off.

As far as I know, the idea of wizards and witches being the next stage of human evolution (_Homo magicus_ if you must get a scientific name) is one I came up with. Rowling says that wizard genes are "aggressively dominant" in that most people who have wizard blood turn out to be wizards or witches. However, from my study of biology (which, I admit, is not very great), genes are not "aggressive" in terms of which genes get passed down to the next generation; it's simply random chance. In addition, Rowling tried to explain the large number of Muggle-borns to Squib ancestors who passed wizard genes down to their children until they finally manifested themselves again, which also seems like a suspect argument to me. Evolution would explain how wizards can have this "aggressively dominant" gene and why Muggle-borns are becoming more common. And honestly, being a wizard does have its advantages over being a Muggle. Muggles are bound, ultimately, by the laws of physics. Wizards are not bound by any law of science (except that the dead cannot properly be restored to life and the other obvious restrictions).

The problem with this theory is that it could easily be abused by those like Lord Voldemort, who could claim that this theory of evolution validates his ideas of Muggle persecution. Since Muggles are now an evolutionary moot point, they don't matter anymore. But this is not the way Geoffrey sees it. I feel like I'm equating Geoff to Professor X in the movie "X-Men" and Lord Voldemort to Magneto, but the only problem is that Professor X and Magneto are friends, while Geoff and Voldemort are not.

Well, that's about all for now. Next week, you will hear the truth behind the man that is Gary Gryffindor. It is a very sad tale, so get yourself ready for that.


	25. 24: A Haunting Past

Author's Notes: Once again, thanks to all my readers out there. This story is now over 15,000 hits thanks to you. And a special thanks to my reviewers.

Binka: I'm glad you are enjoying this story, but I wasn't planning on mentioning Umbridge again. Maybe that will change, though. As for Percy, redemption was always possible for him and looking back on the series, it seems as if we should have expected it all along. If you remember, Avery was the Death Eater who threw himself at Voldemort's feet when the latter was "ressurected" near the end of _Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire_ and Voldemort then tortured him for Avery abandoning him for so many years. I look at Avery as a guy who is in over his head, but has decided that he must see things out to the end. And in this case, the fear that Voldemort has planted in him is impossible to overcome for Geoff. As for the evolution thing, you are thinking along the same lines as Geoff does. Obviously, Voldemort says that Muggles and Wizards are nothing alike, which makes the claim that Wizards are superior a bit subjective. If the argument were that Wizards are an evolutionary next step from Muggles, then there is no question that Wizards are superior to Muggles. And this could be used by Voldemort to completely justify his actions against the Muggles (if you've seen the movie _X-Men_, think of Voldemort as being Magneto and Geoff as being Professor X). Harry is probably not too concerned when Geoff believes because he sees that Geoff is a man who, at heart, values all human life over ideology. As for Hermione, the thought that Wizards are the next phase of the human race has probably entered her mind more than once before. Thanks for your support.

David Fishwick: Glad to hear that you're enjoying this. Thanks for your support.

Okay, the Monty Python reference from the previous chapter was the password needed to reach Headmistress McGonagall's office, Bing Tiddle Tiddle Bong. This comes from the 22nd episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus, which ends with a sketch where Graham Chapman sings a song with this title.

This chapter contains no fewer than two Monty Python references. See if you can find both.

Fair warning, this chapter may shock you a bit more than usual. So be ready for that. Lets continue.

**Chapter 24: A Haunting Past**

More than three months had passed since the fall of the Ministry to the Death Eaters, and tensions at Hogwarts were getting higher. Despite the efforts of Megan Blaire and Pansy Parkinson, many of the Slytherin students were getting away with large breaches of rules for the simple reason that the other houses weren't willing to risk causing an incident with them. Professor Slughorn was also doing whatever he could, but most of his students were effectively receiving their orders from Lord Voldemort at this point. Megan had all the first and second year students under control, but there was nothing Pansy could do to stop the ones Draco once led with ease.

And by now, they were starting to get really out of hand, as Crabbe and Goyle had cornered some second year Gryffindor students shortly before the lunch break in a second floor hallway. And they were getting ready to exercise their supposed authority once again.

"Alright, you runts!" Crabbe shouted to the cornered students as he pulled out his wand, "You'd better do as you're told, or you'll end up getting put onto a barge to Azkaban!"

"Yeah, you'll do as you're told now," Goyle added as he pulled out his wand.

"Shut up!" Crabbe snapped as he turned his attention back to the students.

"What have we done wrong?" Amanda Tynes asked, cowering in fear.

"Did I say you could speak, Mudblood?" Crabbe half-shouted, "What part of 'do as you're told' don't you understand?"

"I'm not . . . ," she began to retort.

"Shut up!" Goyle yelled as he grabbed her by the collar of her robes, "You keep your mouth shut!"

"Hey! Leave her alone!" a voice was heard from behind the group.

Everyone turned to look at where Mohammad now stood, a look of outrage on his face as his body trembled with anger. "What did she do to you, Goyle?" he demanded to know.

"That's none of your concern, brat," Crabbe replied, "Now you get out of here before I hit you over the head with my bat again!"

"What? You afraid I'll kick your bloody arse again?" Hazan taunted.

That pushed the two Slytherin students over the top. Crabbe had been waiting for this for some time, ever since he heard that everyone agreed that Mohammad had been winning the fight on the Quidditch pitch against him. In fact, he couldn't quite remember anything that happened after he got hit with that first punch, which had hurt really badly. Crabbe smiled at Mohammad, then looked at the other Gryffindors in the hallway. "You're free to go," he announced as he quickly pointed his wand at Mohammad, "_Stupefy!_"

The other Gryffindor students panicked and ran in different directions as a red jet of light hit Mohammad in the chest. He had no chance to react, as he was reaching for his wand when he was hit. He was thrown backward about two feet and landed on his back, unconscious from the effects of the spell. Crabbe and Goyle walked up to his body and nodded to each other with a grin.

"_Rennervate_," Crabbe muttered as he pointed his wand at Mohammad again. A blue jet of light hit Mohammad this time, and he woke up quickly. However, he knew he was in trouble when he saw the two Slytherin students standing over him. He tried to move away, but he prepared himself for what he knew was coming.

What was coming was Crabbe's right foot being stomped right onto his chest. The blow knocked the wind out of Hazan, as he gripped his chest with his hands and turned on his side, his back to the wall so that he could see the blows coming. And come they did, as Goyle and Crabbe took turns kicking him again and again in the chest and abdomen. The pain was almost unbearable, but Mohammad hung on to consciousness for the whole ordeal, which lasted 30 seconds.

"Yeah, you think you can beat me up like that, huh punk?" Crabbe shouted as he delivered his last blow, the hardest of the all, "That's what happens to those who stand in our way. You filthy Mudblood, you're not worthy to be in this school!"

Mohammad didn't want to reply, nor could he have even if he wanted to. His chest was in so much pain at this point that it was painful to even breathe, let alone speak. He just looked toward the floor at this point, hoping that Crabbe and Goyle were satisfied with their "discipline" for now and would just leave him to recover.

"What's going on here?" a voice familiar to all three inquired from down the hallway.

Mohammad looked up and Crabbe and Goyle turned around and saw Megan Blaire walking toward them, her gaze fixed on Hazan's prone figure. She had a good idea what had just happened.

"Just dealing with some Mudblood scum," Goyle explained, "Nothing we can't handle."

Megan's first reaction was to think, _I'm glad they don't know I'm a Muggle-born._ Her thoughts then turned to Mohammad's condition. "Is he going to be okay?" she inquired as she looked down at him, hiding her look of concern from the other two Slytherin students.

"It doesn't really matter, as long as he learns his place in this school," Crabbe answered, "And that place is under my shoe as the scum he is."

"I'll take it from here," Megan stated, "You guys go on and I'll join you for lunch."

"Alright," Goyle replied as he started to head down to the Great Hall.

"Wait," Crabbe said as he quickly grabbed Goyle's robes to stop him, "I'm not convinced about you just yet, Blaire. You're way too close to Gryffindor's son, in my opinion. Sitting next to him on the train like that. And what I've heard about you in Potions doesn't help your case."

The natural response to this was for Megan to simply state that she didn't know who he was at the time she was on the train. However, to do so would be akin to revealing that she was not a pureblood witch. Therefore, she decided to resort to an appeal to authority. "Hasn't Pansy told you she's okay with me?" she inquired looking at the two.

"Yeah, she did," Goyle affirmed.

"Shut up!" Crabbe snapped at his friend, then turned back to Blaire, "whoever said we take orders from Parkinson? We follow only the Dark Lord and his commands."

"So, you doubt my devotion to the Dark Lord," she stated as she looked at Crabbe, her arms folded over her chest.

"Well, I wouldn't put it that way," Crabbe began, "But yes, you could say that."

Megan stared at Crabbe with a look of annoyance for a few seconds. Then, she turned toward Mohammad's body and kicked him in the chest without any warning, causing him to start moaning in pain as he rolled over, his hands clutched to where he had just been struck.

Megan turned back to face Crabbe again, except now the annoyance that had been in her face previously had been replaced by pure anger. "If I ever hear of you questioning my loyalty again, Crabbe," she began with her finger pointed right at him, her eyes burning with fury, "You will wish that you were in his shoes!" At this point, she moved her finger to point directly at Mohammad, who was still moaning. "Do I make myself clear?" she finished.

Crabbe was rarely intimidated, but the look that Megan just gave him made him fear for his life. And Goyle was just about to choke himself on his own collar trying to get away from her. Crabbe released Goyle, who immediately bolted down the hallway, with Crabbe quickly following, occasionally glancing back at Megan, who continued to stare at them with the same look until they had finally left for good.

"Allah help me," Mohammad moaned, "I think all my ribs are broken."

Megan turned back toward Mohammad, the look of anger now replaced by one of concern. "I'm sorry Mohammad," she apologized, "I had no choice."

"You didn't have to kick me so hard," he pointed out.

"Yes I did, and you know I had to," she denied as she helped Mohammad to his feet, placing his left arm over her neck as she picked him up off the floor and helped him to his feet, "But I'll help get you to the Medical Wing to make up for it."

Mohammad nodded. "Thanks," he said as they made their way to the school's Medical Wing.

----------

"What did they do to him!?" Henry cried at lunch upon hearing Amanda's story as he shot up out of his seat.

"They hit him with a Stunner and then we ran," Amanda replied, still unsure of what to do at this point, "We didn't want to cause any trouble, like your father told us, you know."

"My dad won't get in trouble for expelling them, though," Henry replied as he began to leave the Great Hall and made his way to the Medical Wing, hoping that his friend would at least be conscious so that he could confirm the story.

----------

"Merlin's beard!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed upon seeing the state of Mohammad's condition upon his entering the room with Megan, "What did you fight this time, Mr. Hazan? An army of angry trolls?"

"More or less," Hazan replied with a grin as Pomfrey ran over to help him lay down on the nearest unoccupied bed, "But I definitely didn't start it. And it was more like two really small and ugly trolls."

"Miss Blaire, would you care to elaborate on that?" Pomfrey asked Megan.

"No, no, I'll tell you what happened," Mohammad interrupted, "It wouldn't be right for her to tell you. Crabbe and Goyle beat me up."

This accusation didn't shock Madam Pomfrey, but she needed to be sure that Mohammad wasn't lying. She turned to Megan again. "Miss Blaire, is that true?" she asked the Slytherin student.

Megan reluctantly nodded her head. "It is," she admitted, "I saw them kicking him in the chest area." She intentionally left out the part about her having to join in.

"Did you see what preceded this fight?" Pomfrey inquired further.

"No," Megan answered.

"All I did was stop Crabbe and Goyle from terrorizing a group of Gryffindor students," he explained, "I recognized Amanda Tynes in the group if you need more proof."

"Thank you Mr. Hazan, but I think that won't be necessary," Madam Pomfrey assured as she began to examine his chest for his injuries, "Those two have been nothing but bad news since they arrived at this school. An unprovoked attack on another student is surely the final straw. Headmistress McGonagall will have no choice but to finally expel those two troublemakers."

At this point, Megan looked toward the door as she heard footsteps from that direction. She saw Henry running toward the room.

"Mohammad! Are you okay?" he shouted as he entered the medical wing.

"Depends on what Madam Pomfrey here says," he replied, "How does it look?"

"You have about six broken ribs, but if that's the worst you have, this won't be a problem," she answered as she pulled out her wand, "I just have to check if there's any internal bleeding. But you will make a full recovery, I can assure you of that."

Henry had come into view of his best friend by this point as Madam Pomfrey began running her wand over Mohammad's chest, who smiled upon seeing his friend. "Well, I guess I'll be okay," he said.

Henry would have smiled if it weren't for the circumstances. Instead, he sighed with relief. "Oh, thank Merlin for that," he replied, "I was afraid you had been beaten to death."

"It's going to take more than two dumb, oversized wankers to kill me," Mohammad replied.

"Language," Madam Pomfrey warned as she put her wand away, "No internal bleeding, but there is quite a bit of bruising. I'll have to keep you out of your Quidditch practices for the next ten days as a safety precaution."

Mohammad finally frowned, at which Megan had to stifle a chuckle. "You are so strange, Mohammad," she began, "You're more concerned about missing Quidditch practices than the fact that you just got jumped by two guys twice your size."

Mohammad thought about that for a moment, then began to laugh, which led to Henry laughing as well. "I don't see what's so funny here," Madam Pomfrey commented as she began to mend the broken bones, "They could have inflicted some permanent damage, you know."

Before anyone could reply to that, Geoffrey Gryffindor walked into the medical wing. "Poppy, is he okay?" he inquired as he quickly walked into Mohammad's field of vision.

"Mr. Hazan will be fine, Professor Gryffindor," she answered, "But I'd like to request that all three of you leave the Medical Wing, please. I have a patient here who needs to recover from a vicious attack that will certainly get his assailants expelled from this school immediately."

That last comment was aimed at getting Geoff to leave the room and to work on punishing Crabbe and Goyle. However, he looked down for a moment at his son and Megan before saying, "Miss Blaire, Mr. Gryffindor, could you please leave the medical wing for a moment?"

Megan had a funny feeling what Geoff was about to tell Madam Pomfrey, and she would be extremely angry if it were true. But she hid that for now. "Yes Professor," she replied as she led Henry out of the room, with Geoff shutting the door behind them.

This last action caught Madam Pomfrey by surprise. "Geoffrey, may I ask what you are doing?" she inquired as she finished mending the last of Mohammad's broken ribs.

"Poppy, can I speak to you without Mr. Hazan overhearing us?" he asked, "Or does he still need more attention?"

"I can spare a moment now, yes," she answered as she began walking away from Mohammad and to the far side of the room, "Mr. Hazan, just stay still and I'll get back to you in a moment."

Mohammad nodded as Geoff and Poppy started talking quietly to each other. "Crabbe and Goyle won't be expelled, Poppy," he began.

"What?" she asked, believing she had completely misheard the Assistant Headmaster's words.

"Crabbe and Goyle won't be expelled," Geoff repeated, "I can't afford to expel them at this point."

"Those two thugs just beat Mr. Hazan without remorse or regard for his own well-being!" Poppy exclaimed, "If that doesn't get you suspended from this school, then what will? Killing someone?"

"They should be expelled, I agree with you on that," he clarified, "But we can't do that now."

"And why the bloody hell not?" she asked, putting her hands on her hips.

"The Ministry," Geoff answered, "You know it's under the control of the Death Eaters and You-Know-Who."

"What's your point?" Poppy pressed.

"If we were to expel Crabbe and Goyle, the Ministry could use that action as an excuse to start enforcing their will upon this school," he explained, "They would cite that as an abuse of power by the Hogwarts faculty and no one would hear our side of the story. It would be Umbridge all over again, only much, much worse this time. I don't need to remind you of those times."

Poppy finally backed down, seeing what Geoff knew from the start. "So, those two get off with no punishment at all?" she asked despondently.

"Oh, there will be severe consequences for both of them," Geoff assured, "They will be given the worst detentions I can find for them from here to the end of the year. And they will both be suspended from the Slytherin Quidditch team immediately."

"But when they go home for Easter, won't they tell the Ministry about that?" Poppy inquired.

"They can say whatever they want, but it'll be the word of two thugs against the word of a Gryffindor," he pointed out, "Who do you think most people will believe?"

"But we have to report all official discipline to the Ministry anyway," she claimed.

Geoff smiled at that as he began to leave. "Poppy, we haven't been in communication with the Ministry for months," he replied, "I've made damn sure of that. We are truly alone right now. And even if Crabbe and Goyle manage to convince people about their punishments being excessive, my plans will already be far enough along that I could flee the country and we'd still win this war. Not that I have any intentions of leaving, though I am getting the rest of my family to Barcelona next week."

"The pressure finally getting to you?" Poppy teased.

"Amy has done all she can at this point protecting the Muggles around Great Yarmouth," he answered, "I don't want her to put herself and the children in danger by trying to be more of a heroine than she can handle being."

"And you don't put them in danger yourself with all your actions?" Poppy asked pointedly.

"I haven't stretched my heroism too far for my own good . . . yet," Geoff replied, then raised his voice to normal levels, "And now, Madam Pomfrey, I have to take care of some discipline issues with Headmistress McGonagall." He walked to the door, opened it and walked out of the room and started looking for Argus Filch.

----------

It was a morning like any other at Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place on March 12, 1998. Harry was in the dining room reading the Daily Prophet, shaking his head at all the lies he read. His left arm was doing much better now, but there were still blotches of black on it, especially on and near his hand. He could go out and hunt for the last Horcrux at this time, but Gary insisted that Harry remain out of action until the arm was completely healed, as dark curses could be tricky and could get worse at any time without warning. His goatee was growing in quite nicely at this point, and when combined with special contact lenses Gary had gotten for him, his bleached hair and scarless forehead made him completely unrecognizable at a distance, which allowed him to go around more outdoors. In fact, ten days ago, he took Draco, who himself was letting his facial hair grow out to disguise his appearance, to Craven Cottage in nearby Fulham to see the football club host the Bristol Rovers, which the home side won 1-0. Gary actually encouraged this bonding experience, as he called it, going so far as to buy the tickets himself, though they weren't very expensive at all. It was actually not that different from watching a Quidditch match for Draco, though he could do without all the drunks that were obviously around him and Harry.

Draco was also in the dining room, trying to find something to keep him busy. He envisioned his redemption being a grand adventure, filled with terror and triumph. Instead, the days spent cooped up inside Number Twelve crawled by as slowly as possible, with nothing to do but read the various books around the place (most of which were books about the dark arts that he refused to read now) or listen to the propaganda being broadcast on the wizard networks, although the various soccer matches being shown on the Muggle television set provided some excitement.

Meanwhile, Gary was planning his upcoming meeting with several Order members, including Remus Lupin and "Mad-Eye" Moody in another room when he heard a knock at the front door. He walked out into the hallway and walked up to the door and looked out the peephole to see who was there. "What's the password?" he inquired.

"The Bells of St Mary's," the person outside replied rather quickly.

Gary knew something had happened or would happen. He opened the door and let Severus Snape in, closing the door behind him. "Severus, what happened?" he asked.

Harry heard the name and walked over to the dining room doorway, slowly poking his head out of it to see what was happening. Snape was standing looking toward Gary and away from Harry, and he also blocked Gary from seeing him as well.

"What's going on?" Draco asked as he walked over to the doorway as well.

"Shh!" Harry hushed him as he too looked out into the hallway.

"Has Geoff gotten his family out of the country yet?" Severus inquired.

Gary took a moment to think about this. "Our plans were to get them to Barcelona in a few days," Gary explained, "Is there something I should know about this?"

"Yes," Snape replied immediately, "Gryffindor Manor will be attacked tonight."

The news didn't surprise Gary, but it did set his plans back quite a bit. "How many?" he inquired.

"What?" Snape replied, not understanding what Gary meant.

"How many Death Eaters will be in this attack?" Gary clarified. He wanted to know what he would be up against.

"One," Severus answered.

That was the first surprise for Gary. "One?" he said in shock, "Just one Death Eater? Has You-Know-Who gone mad?"

"No," Snape replied, "It's Greyback."

For both Harry and Draco, that was all that needed to be said. Greyback preferred to work alone and keep the spoils of battle to himself.

"Tonight is a full moon," Draco pointed out with a whisper, "Geoff's family is in deep trouble."

But at this point, all their attention was drawn to Gary's voice, which was suddenly boiling over with anger. "Greyback!" he screamed as he hit the wall with his clenched left hand, cracking the impact point slightly, "You dare to come for my family again? You dare to hurt me again? You won't take me by surprise this time, you disgusting beast!"

Severus grabbed Gary's shoulders to stop him from doing something he'd regret later. "Gary, listen to me," he began with a strong voice, "It's not worth it, trust me. Just go to Great Yarmouth now and get Amy and her children out of the country."

"Snape, we have a chance here to destroy one of You-Know-Who's greatest weapons," Gary pointed out, "This may be our only chance to destroy his agent of fear, Fenrir Greyback."

"Gary, I know that's not what you'll be killing him for," Snape countered, "This isn't about weakening the Dark Lord to you. It's about vengeance. Killing Greyback won't bring her back from the dead, Gary."

This made Gary even angrier, though. "You think I don't know that, Snape?" he asked, now sounding like a madman, "This isn't about bringing anyone back from the dead. Greyback must pay for what he did to me. For what he has done to too many good people over the years. He must die, and I shall deliver him to his maker!"

Severus let go of Gary at this point, seeing that he couldn't talk Gary out of the very high risk, high reward action now. But he wasn't going to give up yet. "Gary, you realize that Greyback won't approach the house if he senses no human presence inside of it, right?" he inquired, reminding him of the level of risk he would be putting Amy and three of her children in to get his revenge.

"Of course I realize that," Gary replied as he brushed past Snape and Harry and Draco quickly moved their heads out of the hallway, "And yes, I know there's a full moon out tonight. I know what the price of failure will mean."

"And you can accept that high a price?" they heard Severus inquire.

"I won't pay it," Gary claimed, "Because I cannot fail. Not this time around. She won't let me fail."

"She wouldn't want to see you suffer as you have these past 11 years," Snape replied, "She wasn't that kind of person."

"Fenrir Greyback must die!" Gary shouted as he walked back out into the hallway, "And I shall do it tonight!"

"Gary, you're a good man," Severus claimed, "Don't let that good man be destroyed by what you say you seek. Vengeance will make a good man do the most terrible of deeds. Don't ignore my words Gary."

Gary stopped at the door and slowly turned around to face his brother's best friend. He wasn't angry with him. "Severus, I appreciate all that you are trying to do," he began calmly, "But this is something I must do. These past 11 years, that night has always been the scene of my nightmares. How I could do nothing to save her."

"Killing Greyback won't end those nightmares," Severus pointed out, "They won't erase your memories. They'll always be with you. They'll always be a part of you and who you are."

"I know that," Gary replied, "But maybe now he'll die in my nightmares as well. I've tried everything else and nothing has worked. This isn't about ending the nightmares, Severus. It's about changing them. She will still die, but maybe after tonight, he will die as well."

And with that, he pumped the shotgun in his hands, loading the first of seven 12-gauge shells into the firing mechanism and then hooked the gun on the inside of his black trench coat. "Like my brother says," he began to say as he reached for the knob on the front door, "'In order to preserve all that is good, someone good must resort to evil things. For good alone will be destroyed by evil.'"

"'For evil is inherently more powerful than good,' " Snape finished, having heard Geoff say these words to him before, "'But can always be turned on itself by good.' Although Albus would argue that good is more powerful than evil."

"Maybe," Gary responded, "Or maybe it was some dark secret that drove him forward all those years. Evil takes many forms, Severus. Remember that, and I'll see you tomorrow." And with that, Gary Gryffindor opened the front door and walked outside, shutting it behind him as he got in his car and started driving east. By nightfall, he'd be ready.

Severus Snape stood there, looking at that door for a good 30 seconds before finally turning around to head into the house. When he did, he caught sight of two heads looking at him from an open doorway. He recognized the one that was lower being Draco Malfoy's.

"Sir, what was all that about?" Draco inquired.

Severus sighed. "I suppose that you two have the right to know what's going on around here," he reasoned, "And I'm sure if Gary comes back, he'll tell you the story himself. Come on, take a seat. This may take a little while."

Harry was in a kind of trance at the moment as he complied with his nemesis's wish. He had never seen or heard Snape like this before. Nor had Draco, who sat down in a chair next to Harry and both looked intently at Severus, like two boys waiting for their grandfather to begin some story about his past.

"This whole situation began 11 years ago," he began, "The night of November 15 and 16, 1986. In one of the many fields that cover southeastern England."

----------

Two human shapes could be seen walking hand-in-hand across one of the many fields which were a staple of the English countryside. Come morning, sheep would begin to roam these fields and graze on the grass, with various sheepdogs, shepherd dogs, and other dogs keeping watch and guiding those sheep to where they were allowed to go. And for one of the human figures that could be seen in the light of the full moon on November 15, 1986, this area in Suffolk County was his backyard. He knew the roll of every hill and the layout of all the hedgerows around. And he knew all the local sheep owners and farmers. Apart from his family, this was his favorite place in the world. And tonight, he was sharing it with the woman he loved more than anything else in the world.

"Wow, this place is so beautiful," 19-year-old Samantha Grant commented, the light of the moon clearly showing her long hair to be a vibrant red color that clashed with her dull, green eyes, "I can't imagine what this place looks like in the daylight."

A 19-year-old Gary Gryffindor, with long hair at this time, smiled upon hearing that and led her near a hedgerow about as tall as he was. "I'm glad you like it," he replied as they came to a stop in front of this hedgerow, "Once I get myself on firm ground with my life, I want to build a house around here somewhere."

"And live among these Muggles?" she inquired, "You're a strange wizard, Gary. Maybe that's a part of why I love you so much."

They both shared a laugh and shared a kiss. Truth be told, Gary really didn't think much of being a wizard. While he enjoyed the perks that came with being one, he didn't enjoy the tragedy that seemed to come with it as well. All the dead friends from his days at Hogwarts still weighed on his mind from time to time, even though he missed the worst of things. Samantha, too, lost some of her older friends as well. She was in the same year and house as Gary, which was Hufflepuff (to the utter bewilderment of the entire Gryffindor family, though Geoff always felt there was something very different about his brother). Their relationship had started during their fifth year at the school and had only grown by leaps and bounds since then.

"These Muggles have all the right ideas about really living life," Gary explained, "To live in tune with nature and the natural order of things. I see people, wizards and Muggles alike, struggling to get ahead in life or to win that big promotion so you can start licking a new boss's shoes and spending more time away from your loved ones. They all live outside the natural order of things. Man wasn't meant to live like that, you know? We were meant to be in sync with nature, not trying to defy it."

Samantha nodded. "Yeah, you're probably right about all that," she admitted, "But not everyone has the kind of money your family has, Gary. You can afford to live like that. Most of us can't."

"Oh, I plan on making a living out here," he retorted, "I'm not going to live off family money."

"What are you going to do?" she teased, "Farm the land and herd sheep?"

They both chuckled at that. "Not sure yet," Gary admitted, "But I could probably make a good living for myself as a farmer."

"Yeah, probably," she agreed, knowing that Gary had earned top marks in Herbology through his entire time at Hogwarts, "You definitely got a green thumb."

"You weren't so bad at it yourself, baby," Gary reminded as he wrapped his arms around Samantha's waist.

"Only because you would always do my homework," she countered.

"That was just one time, and even I had trouble figuring that one out," he pointed out, "And it wasn't meant to be answered correctly."

They shared another kiss and then looked up to the sky at the constellation of Leo. As they did, they saw a meteor fall from the sky near the constellation.

"Oh, Gary," Samantha stated, "I'm so bleeding happy here with you."

Gary chuckled at the way she put it. "Yeah, I understand the feeling," he agreed, getting ready for the real reason why he had brought Samantha out here, "And that's really why I brought you out here tonight."

"Is there something you want to ask me, Gary?" she inquired.

"Yeah," Gary answered with a devilish smile on his face, "Will you make love to me?"

Samantha burst out laughing. "Out here?" she replied, "I don't think so. I don't do outdoor shags."

Gary laughed as well. "I know, I know," he admitted, "So, let me try this instead." He reached his right hand into the pocket of his black robe and pulled out a small, navy blue case which he brought out and moved it into view of Samantha. He opened the small case.

"Oh my God! Gary!" she said as her left hand reached for her heart, which she swore had just stopped for a moment.

Gary moved around in front of Samantha while keeping the ring her view. "Samantha, these last four years have been the best of my life," he began to declare, "And it has all been thanks to you. You helped me through those first couple of bad years at Hogwarts, and then our relationship grew from there. I never thought I'd ever meet someone like you. And . . . oh hell, I'm no good at speeches." He got down on one knee before continuing. "Samantha Grant," he began to ask, "Will you marry me?"

Samantha was crying as this point, unable to contain her happiness. Between the sobs, she managed to push out an audible, "Yes," and then flung herself into Gary's waiting arms as he took the engagement ring and slipped it onto her right ring finger, with the small diamond pointing up toward the night sky. She looked down at her hand and moved her fingers a little to catch the gemstone sparkle in the moonlight. "Oh Gary, when will be get married?" she asked.

"There's no rush, I think," Gary said as he got behind her again and wrapped his arms around her waist, "But we'll do it within a year. What time of year do you want it done?"

"March," Samantha answered immediately, "I've always wanted it in March."

"Five months left to be a bachelor, then," Gary mused as he kissed her again, "But I got one last thing to show you out here before we head back home."

However, before they could go anywhere, they suddenly heard the barking of a dog from the direction that was hidden by the hedgerow they were standing against. "Oh, those stupid dogs just had to ruin our moment," Samantha complained.

But Gary knew these dogs better than that. The fact that they were barking this late at night was not normal. And that was reinforced when more barking began to start up after a few more moments, this time closer to their position. Gary felt the wind blowing from him into the hedgerow. "No, something's wrong here," he said, "The dogs don't bark at night. They're too well trained. I think we'd better get out of here now."

"If you say so, darling," Samantha said as she kissed Gary. The two prepared to Apparate back to the grounds of Gryffindor Manor.

And that was when this perfect night turned so completely wrong for Gary Gryffindor.

Before either Gary or Samantha had a chance to Apparate away from this area, they heard a loud thud from the top of the hedgerow right in between them. Gary instinctively went for his wand immediately, even though he didn't see what was up there. But whatever was up on the hedgerow was too fast for him and bashed him in the head. The blow was so severe that Gary went unconscious before his body had even hit the ground. The last thing he heard was the sound of a woman screaming before everything just stopped for him.

----------

"She's dead, Arthur," a local shepherd, a young man, remarked as he stood up from the body of what appeared to be the remains of a young woman who had been mauled to death, "But I've never seen marks like these."

"Neither have I, Jack" Arthur, a local farmer who was in his 50's, replied, "It looks like a large wolf or something like that. Maybe a rabid one."

"But there are no wolves in Britain anymore," Jack pointed out, "They could use them up in the Scottish Highlands, though. Those deer are getting out of control up there."

Arthur bent down to take a better look at the wounds. "It looks like whatever it was started to eat her," he mused, "But it lost interest early into the meal."

"Why do you think that is?" Jack asked, "And do you think this has something to do with Mr. Carruthers's dead sheep?"

"Respectively, I don't know and probably," Arthur answered as he stood up and glanced back over toward the hedgerow about thirty meters away, "Maybe Gary over there can tell us something. You sure he's okay?"

"He's got a nasty bruise forming on the right side of his head," Jack commented, "But once he wakes up, he should be fine. If the concussion would have killed him, he'd be dead by now. What's with the robe, though?"

"It's what Gary's folk wear," Arthur explained, refraining from mentioning exactly what he was, "I've met his family before. They're good folk, but they were going through some hard times up to about five years ago."

Jack nodded absently. Then they both heard a groaning sound from the direction of the hedgerow. Turning around, Arthur saw Gary stirring, though his eyes were still shut.

"Looks like we might get some answers," Jack remarked as he saw Gary starting to get to his feet.

----------

Gary took his time getting up, as his head felt like it was spinning around and around. He opened his eyes and found his vision to not be blurry at all. He saw the hedgerow in front of him and slowly rested himself against it. His head was aching all over and when he felt the right side of it, he felt a slight amount of swelling.

_What just happened?_ he thought to himself, _And where is Samantha?_

"Gary, are you alright?" he heard a familiar voice ask from behind him.

Gary slowly turned around, still resting on the hedgerow, until he saw a man about his height who had balding and whitening hair and was wearing simple clothing befitting a farmer or shepherd. Gary knew this man very well, and he was happy to see a friend right now.

"Mr. Tavers, it's good to see you," Gary remarked, "Have you seen Samantha?"

Suddenly, a bad feeling ran through Arthur's body. Now he remembered why the young woman in the torn yellow robe looked so familiar to him. "Gary, maybe you should come over to my place to rest for a while," he suggested, "It looks like you took a hard hit last night."

"Yeah, I did," Gary answered, trying to gently shove Arthur out of the way, "But I need to find Samantha before she gets hurt out here."

Arthur was in a lose-lose situation, big time. To let Gary see what had happened to Samantha might cause him to go completely out of control or could even cause a suicide attempt. And Arthur had no way to counteract a wizard's power. On the other hand, it was wrong to hide the truth from Gary, as horrible as it was. He started to look extremely nervous.

Gary picked up on this and a feeling of dread overtook him. "Is she hurt? Is she in pain?" he asked quickly.

"No, she's not in any pain," Arthur answered truthfully, "Listen Gary, come to my place. We'll talk about things there over breakfast and get you patched up."

"Have you seen her?" Gary inquired hopefully, "Where is she?"

"I have seen her," Arthur replied slowly. He just didn't want to come out and say the words that would break Gary in every way imaginable.

Gary picked up on this too. "Is she . . . ," he began, but was unable to say the final word. _No, that's not possible,_ he thought.

_No use hiding it anymore,_ Arthur thought as he slowly stepped to his left, revealing the terrible truth to Gary's eyes.

For a moment, there was no reaction from him. It was just an initial shock that overwhelms the mind initially. A shock that prevents any display of emotions. A shock that tells your mind that this isn't happening or that this couldn't happen. This shock carries with it an evolutionary advantage; it allows a person to function normally until some short crisis passes. But this shock never lasts long. Eventually, reality returns to the mind, replacing the shock and confirming that what has happened has happened.

And Gary didn't take it well. "SAMANTHA! NO!" he shouted as he ran toward the body of his fiancé. However, he stumbled and fell to the ground halfway there, still suffering from the blow he had received last night. He reached out his arms from where he lay, trying to touch the body. "No! Please, no!" he mourned as his head looked straight into the ground beneath him.

"Arthur!" Jack called, "These wounds are festering!"

"That's not possible," Arthur replied as he walked to the body of Samantha Grant to see for himself, "This only happened last night. There's no way any kind of infection could be this far along."

Those words told Gary almost everything he needed to know about who had killed Samantha and had knocked him unconscious last night. And if he was right, this entire community could be in serious trouble come next month. "Mr. Tavers," he called quietly.

Arthur heard him and walked over to Gary, who was still laying on the ground with his face in the grass. "Yes Gary?" he asked as he crouched down.

"Did you lose any livestock last night?" he inquired.

"I didn't, thankfully," Arthur answered, "But I heard from Mr. Carruthers that he lost six of his sheep last night. He said it looked like a large wolf did it, but we don't get any of those in England anymore."

"No," Gary affirmed, holding back the tears, "But we do have werewolves."

That got Arthur Tavers's undivided attention. "Werewolves?" he exclaimed quietly, "How are we supposed to deal with them?"

"Call Geoff over here," Gary continued, "He'll explain."

"What about those wounds?" Arthur inquired, "They're starting to fester."

Gary started to cry at this point. He knew of the proper disposal method for those killed by werewolves during a full moon. "Soap and water should stop the festering," he instructed, "Just make sure not to have any open cuts or allow any liquid to get inside your body or else you'll be infected and become a werewolf at the next full moon."

"Thanks, Gary," Arthur replied, "And I'm sorry we couldn't do more to help her." He then began jogging back to his home. "Jack! Don't touch that body until I get back!" he called out to the young shepherd.

For the next few minutes, Gary kept muttering one word over and over again. "Why? Why? Why?" was what he kept saying. Jack thought he meant why did this happen to him, to which he had no answer besides that the world can be a cruel place. But Gary was really asking why Samantha died and he didn't. It was a question that he still had no answer for.

----------

"Geoff came by and took care of most things at that point," Severus continued to relate, "Gary's greatest fear was that Lupin was the one who had done this to him. But the Ministry confirmed that he was up in the Scottish Highlands that night."

"So how did they figure out it was Greyback?" Harry asked.

"The wounds found on Samantha's body were almost exactly like those found on other confirmed victims of Fenrir Greyback," Snape answered, "Also, before they disposed of Samantha's body, the Ministry tested the werewolf toxin in her body, which is unique to each individual werewolf. They compared this toxin to samples on record from all werewolves in the United Kingdom. The toxin exactly matched Fenrir Greyback's. There is no doubt that he killed her that night."

"But why did he let Gary live?" Draco inquired, "That doesn't make sense. Why would he kill the girl and leave him alone?"

Severus shook his head. "No one but Fenrir himself knows the answer to that question," he responded, "And I have never asked him about this. I didn't want to raise any suspicions among other Death Eaters by showing more than a small interest in this incident. Regardless, after the body was taken care of, Gary wanted Fenrir Greyback to die."

"Did Gary lose his wizard powers because of this incident?" Harry asked, suddenly realizing that Gary was not born a Squib, but a true wizard.

"The extreme stress from the incident caused his magical powers to disappear for a short time," Snape confirmed, "But that period ended after less than a month. He still has his wand, hidden in a pocket of that trench coat of his. He doesn't use his powers in the normal way because he doesn't feel worthy of them, as he couldn't save Samantha with them. Geoff has tried to get Gary to end that charade for years, but he won't until he kills Greyback."

"For all he has done, Fenrir Greyback needs to be brought to justice," Harry stated.

"Yes, he does," Severus agreed, "But how much will we lose for that? Inside, Gary is still a good man, a better man than I'll ever be. But his lust for vengeance has blackened his heart and soul for 11 years now. And if he does gain his revenge tonight, I think that his soul may indeed be lost to us. I hope that does not come to pass."

It would turn out that neither Severus nor Draco nor Harry would get any sleep tonight. They would all be standing alert, waiting for Gary's return . . . or news of his death.

----------

Author's Notes: Don't worry, Mohammad will be fine. He just needs to learn that when you stand up for others, you will get hurt sometimes. Of course, Crabbe and Goyle will not enjoy cleaning the castle with Filch for the rest of the year. And as Megan told Mohammad, she only did what she had to do to get Mohammad out of a bad situation. Her powers of manipulation are most impressive.

Obviously, people need heroes, but heroes need to be smart about what fights they pick. Otherwise, they'll end up drawing more attention than they can handle, not just from their enemies, but from society at large. Some people just cannot handle being famous (see Kurt Cobain).

For the sake of context, Fulham F.C. would go on to finish in 6th place in The Football League Second Division in the 1997-98 season, thus qualifying for the promotion playoffs. The would fall to Grimsby Town, the team that won promotion that season, in the semi-finals of the playoffs. The next season, the team left nothing to chance. They stormed through the division, finishing in first with an astounding 101 points earned in 46 games played, and earning promotion to The Football League First Division. That season would be the last at Fulham for coach Kevin Keegan, whose next job was, as most of our English friends could tell us, became the head coach of the English national soccer team. His reign there lasted a mere 18 games, only 7 of them wins. More recently, Keegan resigned from managing Premier League club Newcastle United in September due to a disagreement with the club management.

Obviously, this chapter shows how the line between good and evil can be blurred so easily. Gary is a good man, but he hunger for vengeance borders on obsession and threatens to devour him. Will he succumb? Stay tuned.

Well, that's all for now. Until next week, read, review and enjoy.


	26. 25: The Natural Order of Things

Author's Notes: Once again, thank you to all those who read my stories in the past week. This story now has over 16,000 hits. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Don't worry about it, but I'm glad to see you're still with us. Thanks for your support.

David Fishwick: Glad to know you are enjoying the story. Thanks for the support.

Fugatad: Thanks for the support.

Beggs: Yes, I admit that Harry is surprisingly absent in this Harry Potter story. Part of that is due to Geoffrey's desire to keep control of his operations, meaning Harry stays locked up whenever he isn't needed. It's also partly due to my not wanting to make it seem like Harry is winning this war on his own. No war is ever won by a single person, no matter how hard Hollywood tries to make it seem that way. I like showing the other fronts on which this war is being fought, like at the school and, in this chapter, by those outside it. Harry won't be appearing in this chapter, but he will be a main focus in Chapter 26, which will be posted whenever I get around to finishing it (I'm getting close, I swear!). As for the thing about Megan's maturity, yeah, I agree that that did not come off well. I admit it. Originally, Megan was going to play a much smaller role in this story, but then I needed a Slytherin spy and I used her for that role. Your idea about her being a Horcrux did momentarily inspire me, but I do not want to re-write this story at this point. My explanation is that she understands what is going on in the Wizarding world and she's trying to do what she can to stop Lord Voldemort. I will say that her maturity does not come from her being a witch. Her parents were not the kind of people who went out of their way to hide reality from their daughter, so she doesn't have all the bravado that Mohammad shows, nor does she have the unquestioning faith that Henry has. In a way, she serves as a kind of reality check to those two. Thanks for your support.

I love the reviews, guys! Keep them coming!

I'd also like to announce that this story has been added to a third C2: Good Fanfictions. Thank you very much, Beggs.

Okay, I said there were two Monty Python references in the previous chapter. The first was the password to get into Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place, which was "The Bells of St. Mary's." This is a reference to the sketch "Musical Mice" from the second episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. In this sketch, Terry Jones has, supposedly, trained 23 mice to squeek at different particular musical pitches and then proceeds to play "The Bells of St. Mary's" using said mice. However, it is quickly clear that this is not going according to plan.

The second reference was Samantha telling Gary that she was "so bleeding happy." This quote comes from a sketch titled " 'The Pantomime Horse is a Secret Agent' " in the 30th episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. It's just a short parody of pretty much every James Bond flick.

This will probably be the last chapter I post until at least the end of December, so I wish all of you a Merry Christmas/Happy Holidays. Lets get back to the story now.

**Chapter 25: The Natural Order of Things**

Gary sat on the porch of Gryffindor Manor in Great Yarmouth and watched as the sun began to sink below the horizon that same day. He arrived hours before and told Amy what was going on. She was horrified initially, but Gary walked her through the process of sealing the Manor. Every door and window was magically sealed now. Nothing was getting in or out of the building without breaking down a wall to get inside. And if Greyback tried doing that, Gary would find him and take him out before he'd be able to cause any real damage.

Of course, Gary Gryffindor wasn't planning on taking on the legendary werewolf alone. At either side of his deck chair was one of two Rhodesian Ridgebacks that he purchased as puppies six years before and had raised himself. A female and male, he had named them Bonnie and Clyde, respectively. Both dogs had brown coats of fur. However, Bonnie had a black nose with dark eyes, while Clyde had amber eyes with a lighter colored nose (called "liver" by those who bred dogs). Clyde was slightly bigger and heavier than Bonnie; he was 26 inches from paw to the top of his back, while Bonnie was an inch shorter. And both had the most distinctive trait of their breed; the ridge of hair on the back that ran in the opposite direction of the rest of the dogs' fur that started at the shoulders and ended at the hips. They were glancing back and forth, feeling that their leader was feeling nervous.

And indeed, Gary was nervous. For 11 years, he had been hoping that this day would finally come. He hoped to get his chance for justice against the beast that had so deeply wronged him. But now that the moment was at hand, he began to think about what he would do when he actually saw the infamous werewolf in the flesh for the first time. He had been knocked out 11 years ago before he had a chance to get a glimpse of Greyback, so all he had ever seen were pictures of him, both as a human and, less commonly, as a werewolf. And he was nervous that he might lose his will to fight when he actually saw the beast himself.

_No, no, that won't happen,_ Gary assured himself as he continued to watch the sun set, _I've waited too long to run now._

Gary had asked Remus if there was any special way a werewolf needed to be killed. The answer was no, but Remus offered to help him fight Greyback if the time ever came. However, Gary didn't have Wolfsbane Potion on him, so bringing along the former Hogwarts teacher wasn't an option tonight, though it would have been very helpful to have a controlled werewolf around. But Gary knew that his two dogs would be more than capable assistants to him tonight, for Rhodesian Ridgebacks were originally bred to help humans hunt lions in Africa. In addition, Ridgebacks were blessed by being both a sighthound and a scent hound at the same time. They preferred to hunt by scent, but they could use their eyes to hunt effectively as well. And both would be needed tonight.

Gary stood up as the sun finally slid below the horizon and the full moon began to rise in the east over the North Sea. He pulled the 12-gauge shotgun out from under his black trench coat and slowly walked down the wooden porch stairs of Gryffindor Manor and onto the large field that surrounded it on most sides. Bonnie and Clyde were right on Gary's heels following their pack leader to the hunt.

Gary checked the wind direction and found that the sea breeze was still rolling in, though that would reverse itself in about an hour. Gary wanted the reversal to come sooner, though, because then the air from further inland would be blowing right toward them, meaning Bonnie and Clyde would smell Fenrir coming from a mile away. Instead, Gary kept patrolling around the house, looking outward and waiting to spot any unusual movements from the field.

----------

The wind direction had finally changed and was now in Gary's favor. The wind was now blowing from the shore onto the water, meaning that Bonnie and Clyde would be able to smell Fenrir coming toward the manor. The only real problem was if Greyback tried to come up along the coastline or the side of the house so that neither of Gary's dogs could smell him coming. To counter this, Gary positioned Bonnie at one corner of the Manor that faced away from the sea and Clyde at the other. They wouldn't move from their spots unless they received an order from Gary to do so or if they sensed trouble.

Meanwhile, Gary himself took several steps forward, away from the manor, and kept looking around, watching for signs of an attack from any direction. His eyes were now fully adjusted to the light of the full moon. There was no way Greyback would go completely unnoticed now unless he swam in from the North Sea. And from all accounts he had heard, Gary knew that Fenrir Greyback hated to swim. It "washed away" all his triumphs, so to speak. Gary was ready for this moment to come. And yet, he was still nervous. Fenrir Greyback haunted his mind so much that he just could not shake it off. And the waiting only made it worse for him.

It was another two hours before something finally happened. Bonnie, who had been sitting upright, suddenly stood up on her four legs and sniffed the air intently, as if she had noticed something that wasn't there before.

Gary noticed this and began looking upwind of her for any sign of movement. If it was Greyback, he would be coming from the woods that were upwind from Bonnie. However, he did not move toward the trees yet. For all Gary knew, Bonnie had just smelled a rabbit and wanted a midnight snack.

After about ten seconds of sniffing, Bonnie began to growl as she continued looking toward the trees, her body ready to strike upon any intruder. Clyde noticed this change in behavior and began to walk toward Bonnie to back her up in a gesture of intimidation. Gary heard Clyde moving and glanced back to see what was happening. Quickly, he took his right hand off the shotgun and moved it out where Clyde would notice it and snapped his fingers once. The dogs knew that meant to stop moving. And in this situation, Gary was telling Clyde that he was in control of the situation and wanted Clyde to go back to where he was.

Gary saw Clyde sit down in an upright position again. Gary was concerned that Greyback had laid a trap for them in the woods and wanted neither Bonnie nor Clyde to fall victim to it. Satisfied with Clyde's behavior, Gary turned back toward the trees.

And that's when he saw it. Bonnie began to bark as what appeared to be a wolf emerged from the trees, with red blood partly covering its gray snout. Gary put his finger back on the trigger as he clicked his tongue loudly. That was Gary's recall signal, which told Bonnie and Clyde to come to his side immediately, which they both did. This caught the wolf's attention as it turned to look at Gary and his two dogs who were now barking at him.

Gary knew this was the moment of truth, but took another look at the wolf just to make sure. His snout was more rounded and wider than a normal wolf's. And the tail was tufted. Both of these were signs of a werewolf. But even by werewolf standards, this one was big. It stood at least three feet tall from ground to the top of the back. And Gary could just barely make out the yellow claws on his feet. The descriptions Gary had compiled of Fenrir Greyback's wolf form were exactly like what he was looking at now.

Now that he had seen the monster himself, the anxiety left him. All that was left inside Gary was anger. A burning anger that demanded retribution. It blinded him to everything else. Greyback growled loudly as Gary aimed the shotgun right at his target, a whole 30 yards away.

"DIE GREYBACK!" Gary shouted as he squeezed the trigger. The scream and the blast shattered any semblance of a peaceful night. The hunt was on, and someone was going to die.

Immediately after pulling the trigger, Gary mentally slapped himself for doing something so dumb. _Oh, you idiot, Gary! What were you thinking?_ he thought as he slowly moved forward, Bonnie and Clyde next to him on either side, as he pumped the spent shell out of the weapon and loaded another one into the firing chamber, _You're not hitting anything with this thing at that range! And now you can't see a damn thing!_ Indeed, the muzzle flash of the shotgun had ruined Gary's night vision. It would take a few minutes before he could see properly again. But he already knew that his first shell had done nothing to harm Fenrir. As Gary was blinded by the muzzle flash, Greyback had fled in some direction and Gary didn't see where he had gone to.

However, both Bonnie and Clyde were continuing to growl in the direction of the woods that the werewolf had just appeared from before Gary had opened fire on him. Gary knew that the dogs would have seen which way Greyback ran in, so he felt certain that the werewolf had fled back into the woods to find another was to attack his intended victims without getting shot.

While the shotgun was meant for close encounters, this was a situation where Gary did not want to be close to his enemy, as Greyback would have the advantage there, no matter what. And he wasn't just going to blindly charge into the woods. He already made one mistake, which could eventually prove to be a fatal one. A second mistake would mean instant death . . . or worse. Gary had no interest in being infected and becoming a werewolf for the rest of his days.

As Gary waited for his vision to readjust to the light of the full moon, he made sure Bonnie and Clyde remained at his side. Both wanted to go after this threat and remove it in some way, but Gary knew that while Rhodesian Ridgebacks could hold a lion at bay, holding off a werewolf was a totally different story. Greyback would rip both dogs to shreds if Gary wasn't careful. But he had the advantage now. He knew where his target was and would be able to see him coming. Greyback would have to come out of his hiding place eventually if he wanted to finish what he started tonight. All Gary had to do was wait for him. Gary had been waiting 11 years for this moment. He knew he could wait another four or five hours.

As his night vision finally returned to him, Gary relaxed a little as he saw no signs of Greyback's return yet. Bonnie and Clyde's growling subsided as well, as both were now sitting and looking around. This latter behavior caught Gary's attention after another thirty minutes had gone by. _They must have lost the scent,_ Gary realized, _But the wind is still blowing into the sea. If he's still in those trees, they should smell him._ This left Gary with only one option. He began to slowly move forward into the woods. He needed to confirm his line of thinking.

With Bonnie and Clyde just behind him, Gary looked cautiously into the trees before slowly moving into them, his eyes always sweeping his surroundings for anything unusual, for anything that would give away the hiding place of a werewolf. However, he saw nothing like that. Instead, he saw a branch that had fallen to the ground, broken in the middle as if it had been stepped on by something and broke underfoot. Looking around, Gary saw a similar broken branch on the ground about ten feet further into the woods, this one with a small amount of red blood nearby on the ground.

_So he went back into the woods,_ Gary realized, _Hoping that I'll just forget about him. Or maybe he's trying to lead me into a trap, hoping that I'll follow him._ At this, he glanced behind him and saw that Bonnie and Clyde were right behind him, sniffing the air for any sign of the intruder. _They'll alert me to Greyback lying in wait for me if he's upwind of us. And I'll keep watching the downwind direction._ As long as Gary could pull his trigger quickly enough, he'd survive this encounter.

He continued moving through the woods for the next 20 minutes, following the path that Greyback had left behind when Gary noticed that the path was now starting to lead out of the woods and toward the shoreline. The path soon left the woods completely and Gary realized what Fenrir had done.

_He's going down the shoreline,_ he thought as he began to run back toward the Gryffindor Manor, Bonnie and Clyde right on his heels, _He's walking through the water to try to hide his scent from the dogs._

It took him a few minutes of running before the Manor was in his sight once again, illuminated by the full moon. Gary began to slow down a little, searching for the werewolf again. He began to hear a strange banging noise from the other side of the building. _He's trying to bash his way into the building,_ he thought as he quietly approached the front of the Manor, still not seeing the source of the sound, _I think I can catch him by surprise now._

Gary slowly approached a corner of the Manor, the banging getting louder now. With his back pushed up against the wall of the house, Gary took a quick peak around the corner. And he saw him there. Fenrir Greyback, who was trying to use his body as a battering ram to break into the Manor through a wall, and he had started to make some headway on that account, as pieces of the building were beginning to fall off and cracks were forming where the wall was being hit.

Gary took a deep breath as he prepared himself for this. Greyback was only 10 feet away from him. As long as his shot was on target, he'd do some real damage this time around. He then quickly pivoted on his left foot and turned himself to face Greyback, his shotgun aimed right at where he thought he'd be. As Fenrir actually came into view again, Gary readjusted his aim a little lower. Greyback saw Gary before he fired, but it was too late for him. Gary squeezed the trigger as he finished turning around.

The shotgun blast ripped through the night again, this time accompanied by a yelp of surprise and pain. Gary was once again temporarily blinded by the blast, but the yelp he heard told him that he had hit his mark. He pumped the spent round out of the shotgun and loaded in a new one as he took aim again while his dogs came around the corner to see what had happened. But Gary waited, listening for any patter of footsteps that would tell him that Fenrir was coming closer to him, trying to strike back with a blow of his own. But he heard nothing of that sort.

His vision came back more quickly this time, and Gary found nothing except a trail of red blood left behind from where Greyback had stood. Indeed, he was hit, and judging from the amount of blood he was leaving behind, hit bad. It was apparent to Gary that unless Fenrir received medical attention immediately, he would simply bleed to death. Gary slowly followed the trail of blood around the corner of the Manor.

And that was when all hell broke loose.

This time, Greyback had set up a trap for Gary, and he fell right into it. There was no way Bonnie or Clyde could have warned their leader about any danger, as they couldn't smell where Greyback was, since they were upwind of him. Greyback was waiting right at the corner of the Gryffindor Manor, and Gary had no time to shoot him again before he had been pounced on by the werewolf.

The time for thinking was over. Fenrir Greyback, bleeding onto Gary's body, attempted to sink his fangs into Gary's neck, looking to rip out his major blood vessels there. However, Gary still had the shotgun in his hands and while he was in no position to shoot Grayback again, he used the barrel of the gun to stop Greyback's attack by shoving it into his mouth. Greyback bit down on the metal, cracking his own fangs and bending the barrel of the gun slightly, which Gary did not notice. Werewolf saliva dripped onto Gary's neck and blood continued to run down onto his chest.

Clyde was about to jump onto Fenrir in order to protect Gary, but Gary was able to use his right leg to kick Greyback off of him. He landed on his left side about five feet away from where Gary quickly got back to his feet, took aim at the werewolf again, and pulled the trigger again. At this range, the blast from the shotgun would be instantly lethal.

Except that the bends in the barrel of the gun cause it to misfire this time. The barrel could not take anymore stress and was blown off of the rest of the gun, rendering the thing useless. The misfire greatly startled Gary, who immediately began checking himself for any wounds. Finding none, he turned his attention back toward Fenrir, who had been wounded again. He was now too weak to move and lay on his side, waiting to die of his wounds.

As Gary's heart rate and breathing came back to a normal level after a couple more minutes, he noticed that a cloud in the sky would be blocking out the full moon momentarily. Seeing this, he walked up to Fenrir and placed his left foot on his neck to keep him from lashing out while he pulled out the Glock 17 pistol from his trench coat and pointed it right at Greyback's head. And then he waited.

The full moon was hidden behind the clouds and Gary saw the animal under his foot begin to revert to a more human-like form. The grey fur on his head receded partially into his face. His paws turned back into hands and feet, albeit extremely hairy ones, with long, yellowish nails. And sores were present around his mouth, inside of which were his pointed brown teeth, although some of those were now broken into pieces. And blood was still flowing from the gunshot wounds he had received.

With much difficulty, Greyback began to speak. "I wasn't expecting you," he rasped.

"Then who were you expecting?" Gary replied, "The Spanish Inquisition?"

"So, Snape has been the traitor all along," Fenrir mused, "And the Dark Lord believed him to be so loyal to him. How amazing."

That comment made Gary worry. "You mean this was a trap?" he inquired.

"Oh, no," Greyback answered, "The Dark Lord was not behind this. But he has been going on about how your brother has been causing him all kinds of bother and I decided to show him how vulnerable he really was to me."

"Then why did you tell Severus?" Gary demanded.

"He wanted to know what I was doing tonight," was the answer, "He asks that of me every time a full moon comes around, anyway, so I didn't think anything of it."

"Well, your reign of terror ends tonight, Fenrir Greyback," Gary declared, "I have just one question for you. Why?"

"Why what?" Fenrir inquired.

"Why did you let me live that night 11 years ago?" Gary clarified.

Fenrir had to take a moment to understand what Gary was talking about, but when he figured it out, the answer was automatic. "Ever since that night, I knew this day would come eventually," he admitted, "If only I had been somewhere else that night, you wouldn't be ready to kill me right now."

"How could you realize you made a mistake?" Gary asked.

"Same reason as how I can talk to you now," Greyback replied, looking up at the full moon, now hidden behind the clouds.

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A large wolf, covered with grey fur, was eating into the body of a young woman in a field in Suffolk County on the night of November 15, 1986. Next to a hedgerow some 30 meters away lay the unconscious body of a young man whom Fenrir Greyback would also dine on tonight to quench his taste for human flesh. However, as clouds rolled in front of the full moon, Fenrir reverted back partially into his human form. At this point, he took a pause from the meal he was eating and turned his attention to the man's body.

He used his right foot to flip the body over so that he could see the face of his other victim. But instead of delight, a sense of dread filled him when he saw the unmistakable face of a Gryffindor.

"Oh no, what have I done?" Fenrir muttered to himself. The Death Eaters made sure never to attack a Gryffindor for good reason. Any attack on a Gryffindor family member had always been met in the past with unquestioned retaliation.

Greyback immediately ran from the area. He ran as far away as he could before the full moon reappeared from behind the clouds. He didn't want to get into any further trouble than he already was, but he knew there was a good chance that he was already a werewolf that now had a death mark on him from a family that no one dared to attack.

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"And that's why you survived," Fenrir finished, "Because I didn't want to make my mistake even worse than it was already. Who was she?"

"She was Samantha, and she was my fiancé," Gary answered, "That's who you killed."

To his disgust, Greyback smiled. "I did this to you, Gary Gryffindor," he realized, "I have caused you to become a monster, just like me."

"We're nothing alike," Gary replied immediately.

"You lie to yourself, Gryffindor," Fenrir goaded, "It's nothing to be ashamed of. We both kill our enemies."

"I kill to maintain order and all that is good," Gary clarified, "You kill for your own pleasure."

"And my own pleasure is a bad thing?" Greyback inquired, "It seems good to me."

"Well it isn't," Gary retorted.

"And who are you to make that judgement?" Fenrir accused, "Who are you to play God?"

"I'm not playing God," Gary corrected, "I'm protecting thousands of people from you and your infection. You will terrorize us no more."

"I can see in your eyes that this isn't about that to you, Gary," Fenrir countered, "This is all about revenge. You have a score to settle with me."

"Don't bother trying to goad me into shooting you again, Greyback," Gary pointed out, "I am going to do it regardless."

"Then what are you waiting for?" Fenrir asked.

"I want to kill the one that killed Samantha Grant," Gary explained, "And her killer was not a human. It was a beast."

Fenrir realized what Gary was waiting for as he looked back up to the sky. The moon was about to come out of hiding from behind the clouds. And as it did so, Greyback reverted back into his wolf form. A loud growl issued from his mouth. As the full moon finally shone down completely again, Gary remarked, "Goodbye, Greyback," and then aimed the pistol at the wolf's head and squeezed the trigger.

The bullet went clear through Fenrir Greyback's head, killing him instantly. Gary lifted his foot from the wolf's body and stared at it for about 10 seconds. It was over. His quest for vengeance was complete. But he knew the nightmares would still haunt him. That night would always haunt him, regardless of Fenrir Greyback being dead or alive.

Suddenly, Gary saw an unearthly glow from the corner of his eye. He looked up and saw something like a glowing mist about five feet in front of him. Perplexed, he just stood there, the gun still in his hand, as he waited for something to happen. Then the mist began to form into a human shape. It was a female with long, vibrant red hair and dull green eyes.

Gary couldn't believe his eyes. "Samantha?" he asked, "Is that you?"

Samantha, dressed in a yellow robe, approached Gary and embraced him, a display that Gary returned after a moment. "It's over, Gary," she began as her warm hand gripped Gary's right hand, making him drop the pistol, "Time to put down the gun, and live. It is time for you to return to the natural order of things, from which you have been separated for so long."

Gary understood her words to be true. He needed to do as she said. But the guilt of that night still haunted his mind.

Samantha sensed this and continued to speak. "Gary, the times I spent with you were the happiest times of my life," she said, "And I wouldn't trade them for a long life without you. You made me so happy Gary. Thank you."

"Samantha, please, don't leave me again," Gary pleaded as he wrapped his arms around Samantha as tightly as he could.

"Don't let me hold you back, Gary," Samantha replied, "I don't want you to live in the past as you have for far too long. It is time for you to start over again and live as you want to. To live your life again. To fulfill your hopes and dreams. Please Gary, do this for me."

Several moments passed as Gary loosened his embrace. He understood what she wanted and would follow through on it. "I will, my love," he declared, "I will return to the natural order of things."

Samantha smiled as she pulled back from him. "Thank you Gary," she said as she pulled something off her right ring finger. Gary knew what it was immediately as she put it in his right hand. "I hope you will use this again for someone else," she continued.

"No one could ever replace you," Gary stated.

"Then don't replace me," Samantha instructed, "Find someone else to fall in love with. I hope you will find happiness in your life, Gary. And I'll see you again someday." And with that, Samantha dispersed into a cloud of mist that faded away into the air.

Gary stood there and stared at the air for about 30 seconds, taking in what he just heard and saw. He then looked down at himself and found his clothing, beforehand stained with Fenrir Greyback's blood, to be completely clean now. And then he felt something in his right hand. He opened it and found a gold ring with a small diamond there. It was the engagement ring he had given to Samantha.

A smile crossed his face as he slipped the ring into a pocket on the inside of his trench coat. And then, from the same pocket, he pulled out a thin piece of oak wood, about nine inches long. It was a wand that had not been used in 11 years. Gary took the wand in his right hand and pointed it at the body of Fenrir Greyback. "_Incendio,_" he muttered.

A red line came out of the tip of the wand and struck the body of the werewolf, setting it ablaze instantly. Satisfied with his work, Gary sat down about three feet from the flame and made sure it didn't spread too far.

Bonnie and Clyde sat down next to him, each of them receiving a nice show of thanks from their leader. As this was happening, Gary thought about what the future would hold for him. The fight was not over yet, of course, as Lord Voldemort still lived and needed to be destroyed. But once that was over, Gary had a long life ahead of him. What would he do with it? As he looked around him, he knew the answer.

_I'll do what I would have done before all this happened,_ he thought, _I'll find a place in the fields and make a living for myself there. Grow some crops, raise some dogs, and be part of the natural order of things._ That was what he wanted. And once this war was over, that was what he'd do, assuming he was still alive.

As the fire wound down, Gary fell into a light sleep underneath the stars for a few hours. The nightmares did not accompany him.

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Author's Notes: I used Rhodesian Ridgebacks in this chapter in part because my first pet dog was a female Rhodesian Ridgeback.

The scene between Gary and Samantha's spirit in this chapter was partly inspired by scenes from two video games: _Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots_ and _Final Fantasy VI_ (or, if you still use the old American numbering, _Final Fantasy III_). Two great games there, without a doubt.

Well, that's about all for now, I think. I'm almost certain that the next chapter will be posted before the end of January. Until next time, read, review, and enjoy.


	27. 26: The Killer in Me

Author's Notes: Well, it has been a couple of months, but I finally finished the next chapter in the story. But first, thank you to all my readers who have pushed this story to over 18,000 hits and have pushed The Legend of Zelda: Land of My Dreams to over 6,500 hits. And a special thanks to all my reviewers.

David Fishwick: Glad you liked it. Keep up the support.

ProfessorChris: Yes, Greyback is now dead and cremated, never to haunt another family ever again. Keep up your support.

Binka: Yes, THIS is a reviewer I love! Mohammad's brashness is not just from him being a Gryffindor. Because he's so big, he feels that he can stand up to anything. Right now, he's starting to realize that such is not always the case, but it may take a while for that realization to sink in. I wanted the scene with Gary and Samantha to be heart-wrenching, even though I also hate it when the good guys get hurt. The scene after Greyback's death was inspired in part by the video games _Final Fantasy VI_ (better known as _Final Fantasy III_ outside of Japan), specifically the farewell scene between Locke and Rachel, and _Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots_, specifically the ending the story is focused around Harry, but not necessarily ON Harry, like Rowling did with _Deathly Hallows_. I just like using the overall view. Please, PLEASE keep reviewing in the future!

insanityismytrademark: The story is TBC as of now. I know where I want to go with it. The problem is actually writing it out, which is always hard to do at times. Thanks for your support.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was, of course, Gary's asking Greyback if he was expecting the Spanish Inquisition. Need I say more?

This chapter ended up being a MONSTER. But stick with it; this is an important chapter, where lots of things start coming together.

**Chapter 26: The Killer in Me . . .**

"Geoff, how much more do we need to walk around for?" Professor Charity Burbage inquired of Geoffrey Gryffindor.

"We're almost where we need to go," Geoff answered as he glanced behind him, satisfied that he had lost any pursuers, "Just need to make sure we aren't followed."

The Easter break had arrived for all Hogwarts students and faculty in April. Geoff and Charity would be heading to a wizarding academic conference in Barcelona, Spain that started in a few days. Geoff was eager to see his family again, especially after learning about the attack on them by Fenrir Greyback, which Gary was able to avert. Geoff actually hadn't seen his brother since that incident, and he was looking forward to seeing how he was holding up now that a burden had been lifted from his shoulders. In addition, Geoff knew that he would have to reveal the truth to Harry today. There was no more running from it.

Geoff glanced behind him one last time as he and Charity walked closer to Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place. "You see the house?" he inquired.

"Yeah, I see Number Twelve," Charity replied as they approached the house, which was hidden from view to almost everyone else, and Geoff knocked on the door.

"Password?" he heard Severus Snape ask.

"Amazing Grace," Geoff answered.

He watched as the door opened and his best friend appeared in front of him. Geoff and Charity entered the house while Snape closed the door behind them.

"Good to see you again, old friend," Geoff greeted as he and Severus shook hands.

"Same here, Geoff," Snape replied, then turned to Charity, "Good to see you as well, Charity."

Charity didn't quite know what to say to her former co-worker at this point, so she simply nodded without saying anything. Severus understood why she would act this way around him at this time, so he wasn't put off by how cold her reply was, despite the fact that Geoff had told her that he would be at the house.

"So, who else is living here, Geoff?" Charity asked as the three walked back into the house.

"Well, my brother is, of course," Geoff began.

"Oh, I haven't seen Gary in ages!" she exclaimed, "Is he well?"

"Better than ever," Snape answered.

"And, uh, Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy are here as well," Geoff reported.

Charity nodded. She had, of course, seen both students before, despite the fact that they had never taken one of her classes. "I was always disappointed that I never had a chance to teach a celebrity," she admitted.

"When you grow up with Muggles, you really don't need to take Muggle Studies to understand them," Geoff commented, "Everyone is probably downstairs at the moment. Is that right, Severus?"

"I know Gary is downstairs, waiting for us," Snape replied, "Not sure about the boys."

"Well, lets not keep your brother waiting," Charity said as they made their way downstairs to the kitchen.

Geoff led the way in and was the first to see Gary. But when Geoff saw him for the first time in months, he wasn't ready for it. Instead of the black trench coat he had grown accustomed to for the past decade, Gary Gryffindor was now wearing a yellow wizard's robe, bearing the crests of both Hufflepuff and Gryffindor. And he was waving his wand around as he was preparing lunch for everyone. He was also starting to let his brown hair grow out again. And, when Gary looked up at the group, the most startling change came to light. For the first time in 11 years, he was smiling on his own accord.

It was too much for Geoff to take in at once, and he began to cry as he walked toward his brother. "Gary, I'm so happy to see you," he greeted as the two brothers embraced each other.

"Good to see you too, Geoff," Gary replied, his voice not as gruff as it used to be.

"I need to thank you for saving Amy and the kids," Geoff said quietly.

"Don't bother," Gary answered, "It was something I had to do for myself."

The two brothers broke away from each other. "Professor Burbage, it is nice to see you again," Gary greeted as they shook hands, "My brother has told me everything about you."

"Oh, I would hope not _everything_," she answered with emphasis on the last word. This drew a laugh from everyone in the room, including Severus.

"Where are Harry and Draco, Gary?" Geoff inquired.

"Still upstairs, most likely," Gary answered, "They should be down for lunch within the next few minutes or so."

"Excellent," Geoff replied, "Why don't you two take a seat while I catch up on things with my brother."

Charity and Severus seemed to agree with Geoff's idea, as both walked to the nearby table as Geoff walked closer to Gary again. "Where do I even begin?" he asked quietly, "I haven't seen you like this in 11 years. What are you going to do now?"

"Well, we still have a war to finish," Gary answered, "So I'm going to help you beat You-Know-Who."

"I meant after that," Geoff explained, "Once this war is over, what are you going to do with yourself?"

Gary paused for a moment. "Still not sure about that one," he replied, "Though I've been thinking about getting a place in the countryside."

Geoff smiled. "Going back to living off the land?" he inquired.

"I guess so," Gary affirmed, "But we'll see."

Geoff had always known that Gary didn't see being a wizard as such a wonderful thing. While he appreciated the extended life span and the magical powers, living in the Wizarding world had always been a strain to Gary, who had seen a good number of his friends killed over the years. The Gryffindor Family nearly disowned him after he was placed into Hufflepuff, and while Gary never said as much, Geoff knew that hurt him deeply. It was Geoff's belief that Gary generalized this show of pettiness onto the whole Wizarding world and simply wanted out. And he would have been out 11 years ago, had it not been for Fenrir Greyback. Geoff never bothered trying to convince Gary out of his wishes. He understood Gary's point of view and agreed that the Wizarding world in general was far too petty. But Geoff saw it as his duty to try to end that, while Gary just didn't want to deal with it anymore.

"Well, wherever life takes you, Gary," Geoff began to conclude, "You'll always be my brother."

Gary smiled. "Thanks Geoff," he answered, "You have no idea what that means to me." For the first time in 11 years, Gary began to cry. He didn't do this for long; Gary knew there would be time for this soon enough.

At this moment, two more people entered the room, both of them young men. The first one Charity recognized immediately as Draco Malfoy, despite his longer hair and changed demeanor. He appeared to be in less conflict with the world now than was the case before. But the young man who entered behind Draco was a complete stranger to Charity. He also had blonde hair, though it was cut short, and had grown a goatee. He had bright blue eyes with no glasses.

"Professor Burbage, Hermione has told me some good things about you," the second young man greeted as he walked over and shook her hand.

Charity hesitated for a moment. "Do I know you?" she inquired.

"You may have seen me around Hogwarts before," the young man answered.

Charity shook her head slowly. "I don't believe so," she denied.

Geoff finally laughed. "Charity, I'm sorry I forgot to tell you about this," he began, "This is Harry Potter."

Charity looked at Geoff for a moment, then looked back at "Harry" again. "Are you sure?" she asked, "He sure doesn't look like James."

"Harry" smiled. "It's working Geoff," he announced.

"That it is," Geoff replied, "We gave Harry here a bit of a change of appearance so that people wouldn't recognize him. Obviously, our efforts have worked extremely well."

"Yeah, they have," Charity said as she looked at Harry again, still not believing who it was.

----------

"Hedwig's been acting a bit unusual lately, you say?" Geoff asked Harry as lunch was coming to an end. Snape had already excused himself to deal with a matter that he had forgotten about until that point.

"Yeah," Harry began to explain, "I mean, I know she's been cooped up in the house for a while, but that's been happening regularly to her since I got her. She just seems a bit restless now. I've never seen her like this before."

"Have you been feeding her enough, Harry?" Charity inquired.

"Absolutely," Harry replied, "I have been feeding her regularly."

"And she's basically cleared the house of all kinds of vermin," Gary added.

Geoff had an idea what the problem was now. "Harry, with your permission, I'd like to take Hedwig with me back to Hogwarts once the academic conference in Barcelona is over," he began, "I think I know what her issue may be."

"You think it is because of her being cooped up here?" Harry asked.

"Partially," Geoff answered, "But I think the real problem is something else entirely."

"What's that?" Harry inquired.

Geoff wondered how to explain his theory. "Harry, to your knowledge, has Hedwig ever mated?" he inquired.

That one caught Harry by surprise. "Well, no, I can't say that she has," he replied.

"I think she may be trying to let you know something," Geoff hypothesized, "My owl, Merlin, has been acting in a similar manner recently, and we are getting close to May, which is the snowy owl mating season."

"I don't think there are enough rodents in this house to feed chicks," Draco pointed out.

"But there are plenty in the Forbidden Forest," Gary responded, "As long as the Death Eaters don't start gunning for snowy owls, which I wouldn't put past them."

"Their focus is on us, not the wildlife," Geoff added, "They should be alright. And don't worry about taking care of the chicks, Harry. That'll be my job. They won't come until after the school year is over, anyway. And once they're old enough, they can be sold to trainers."

"I'm sure you've made quite a bit of money being an owl breeder, Geoff," Charity said.

Geoff chuckled. "I haven't done any owl breeding in almost ten years," he admitted, "But it's like using a wand. You never forget how to do it."

Gary nodded in agreement with that. Lunch continued for a while longer.

----------

"It's time," Geoffrey remarked to his brother and best friend after they were alone in the dining room.

"Are you ready to tell him?" Severus inquired.

Geoff shook his head. "No, and I never will be," he replied, "But he needs to learn about what happened. About why he can't trust me."

"Geoff, you have to let it go," Gary argued, "What you did was totally natural. I mean, I would have done the same thing."

"Still, that doesn't excuse my actions," Geoff retorted, "I'm as much responsible for what happened to him as You-Know-Who is."

"You can't honestly believe that," Snape said, "You're being ridiculous."

Geoff knew that everything Severus and Gary were telling him was true. He was not responsible for what happened to Harry. His actions were only natural. And yet, he did hold himself responsible for Harry's situation. He always had, and he always would.

"What do you want, Geoff?" Gary inquired, "Absolution?"

Geoff thought for a moment and then slowly nodded. "Harry's the only one who could possibly put these thoughts of mine to rest," he explained, "He's the only one who can forgive me of the actions I took on that night."

"And he will forgive you," Snape added, "I'm certain that had he known, he never would have held you responsible for what happened to Lily."

"Geoff, why are you not ready to face Harry about this?" Gary inquired.

"I'm afraid he'll leave on us, on me," Geoff answered, "I'm afraid that he'll never trust me again."

"Because of what you did?" Severus asked, "Geoff, you're being completely unreasonable!"

"Am I?" Geoff replied, turning to face his friend, "You told me you hadn't forgiven me, Severus."

Indeed, Severus had not completely forgiven Geoff for this. "That's completely beside the point," he finally muttered, "We're not talking about me. We're talking about Harry, and he won't hold a grudge against you. Trust me, he won't."

Geoff nodded. "Like I said, I really don't have a choice now anyway," he said with an air of finality as he stood up and walked over to one of the kitchen drawers and grasped the brass handles on the one furthest up just to the left of the sink. He pulled it open, revealing a shallow stone basin with strange runes and symbols carved into its edge. He put both hands under the basin and lifted it out of the drawer and carried it to the table, where he set it down in the middle.

"Should I get Harry?" Gary inquired.

"Yes, please," Geoff affirmed as he took out his wand and touched its tip to his head. When he pulled it away, a large amount of a wispy blue substance came out from his head and was led by the tip of the wand into the empty basin, which gave out a small flash of white light when the wispy substance reached the stone, changing it into something like a cloudy silver liquid.

At this point, Snape's head tilted upward to the ceiling for a few seconds. "I just remembered a matter I have to attend to," he commented after his gaze came back down, "I will be back in a few hours."

"Okay," Geoff replied as Severus left the room as well, leaving him alone with the thoughts that had haunted him for so long now. He sat down and stared at the thoughts in the Pensieve, wanting to change them in just one way. But he knew that was a futile attempt. What had happened in the past was set in stone. Nothing would ever change it.

_Time is so cruel,_ Geoff thought, _Giving us all the answers only once they don't matter. Making things crystal clear only when we can do nothing to help._

----------

Harry came back down into the dining room and saw Geoff sitting at the table, staring at a Pensieve in the center of it. Harry knew immediately that all the promises Geoffrey had made about explaining everything were about to be fulfilled. Harry noticed that Geoff looked troubled by something. "Is something wrong, Geoff?" he asked out loud.

Geoff looked up at the door and knew the moment he was dreading was coming. "Harry, please, sit down," he replied, gesturing to a seat across the table from himself, which Harry sat down in, "I'm just worried about what I have to show you now."

"You promised that you would explain things to me, Geoff," Harry noted, "What are you afraid of?"

"I'm afraid that after I show you my past, you'll never trust me again," Geoff admitted, "I'm afraid that you'll never forgive me."

"What, were you a Death Eater?" Harry asked with a chuckle.

"No," Geoff answered slowly, "But I did act like one at times. And at other times, I was just a fool. A fool who ended up killing someone with his negligence. It's a death that has haunted me ever since, more than any other. And it involves you."

Harry was puzzled. What could Geoff had meant by saying that? Harry did not know and really had very little idea about that. "You are going to take me through your memories," he stated.

Geoff nodded. "I'm sure you did this before with Albus," he replied, receiving a nod from Harry, "Then you know how this works." He then reached out with his right hands toward Harry, who placed his left hand, now fully healed, in it. Harry understood Geoff's intentions. Geoff would lead Harry through his memories.

"Are you ready Harry?" Geoff inquired.

"Yeah," was the reply, "And you?"

"No, but there's no going back now," Geoff answered as he touched the substance in the Pensieve with his left hand.

----------

Harry looked around at his new surroundings and found them to be extremely familiar. "We're at Hogwarts," he said.

"Yes, this was the day I graduated from Hogwarts," Geoff explained, "The ceremony has just ended."

Harry looked where Geoff was looking and saw an 18-year-old Geoffrey Gryffindor wearing red and gold dress robes. In stature and appearances, the younger Geoff looked very much like the older one. The only real difference was that the younger's hair was a small but noticeable length longer than the older's. But there was something about the younger Geoff's brown eyes that shined in a way that the older Geoff lacked. Strangely, the younger Geoff did not seek out his family members immediately. Instead, he worked through the crowd and found his way to an old wizard, with white hair and a long, white beard. Harry knew immediately that this was Headmaster Dumbledore.

"Headmaster!" Geoffrey called out, trying to get Dumbledore's attention, "Headmaster!"

Obviously, Dumbledore heard the cries and turned around to find the star student of Hogwarts standing before him. "Geoffrey Gryffindor! A wonderful speech, I must say. Well done!" he exclaimed as he gave Geoffrey a brief embrace.

"Thank you Headmaster," Geoffrey replied, "You gave a wonderful address to the audience as well."

"I do what I can," Dumbledore responded, "What do you plan on doing now that your time at Hogwarts is finished?"

"I'm not quite sure yet," Geoffrey answered as he looked out at the small crowd of people present now. Dumbledore followed his gaze.

"A time of great celebration, this is," Albus stated, "To celebrate the achievements you have made during your seven years here."

"Yes, but this celebration is subdued," Geoffrey claimed, "The events of the past years have taken away so much from us."

"Is there something you are trying to tell me, Mr. Gryffindor?" Dumbledore inquired as he looked back at Geoffrey, who continued to look at the people present.

Geoffrey paused for a moment, then turned to look at Albus. "Sir, I want to join the Order of the Phoenix," he declared.

Dumbledore's composure took an obvious hit. "Have you spoken to your family about this?" he inquired.

"I wanted to speak with you first, to know if there is a place for me in the Order," Geoffrey explained, "Is there?"

"Well, of course we could always use your abilities," Albus affirmed, "But I thought your family was not taking sides in this conflict."

"They aren't," Geoffrey confirmed, "But they don't understand what is at stake here. You and I do, and I know that inaction is unacceptable. Thank you Headmaster." Geoffrey then shook Dumbledore's hand and went into the crowd to find his family.

"I already knew that your family was neutral in this war at first," Harry pointed out to Geoff.

Geoff nodded. "They didn't understand what was happening," he explained, "They thought our neutrality would keep us all safe from harm. I knew it wouldn't. Action needed to be taken, or there would be a huge death toll in the end. I wanted to stop that from happening."

"Kill one to save a thousand," Harry stated.

Geoff nodded. "More or less," he affirmed, "And Dumbledore understood this as well. He wanted me to join the Order. And I wanted to join. The problem was my parents."

And with that, the scene around Harry and Geoff dissolved and reformed. They were now inside a room of a house. The younger Geoffrey Gryffindor stood in front of two older individuals who were seated in wooden chairs, one of whom Harry recognized as the wizard who presided over Bill and Fleur's wedding. All three had expressions of frustration on their faces. Harry could tell that he was going to witness some flaring tempers now.

"Geoffrey, you cannot do this! And that is final!" the older man, whom Harry assumed was Geoffrey's father, declared as he stood up straight, "You will not put our family at risk for your own lust for glory!"

"You just don't understand!" Geoffrey argued back, "Your neutrality won't protect you from the Death Eaters. They'll come for us whether we take action now or not. And if we take action now, we can avoid a lot of unnecessary funerals later."

"No, Geoffrey, you don't understand!" Frank Gryffindor replied, "You're too young to understand that this is something our family cannot be involved with. People are dying out there. And if you join in, there's a good chance that our family name will be dragged through the mud, one way or another."

"Even if the Ministry wins?" Geoffrey inquired.

"Especially if the Ministry wins," Teresa Gryffindor affirmed.

"Exactly," Frank began, "The Ministry needs their aurors to do terrible things right now, but once this is over, what's to stop them from being thrown under by the Ministry to satisfy any kind of public outcry? What's to stop them from sending Mad-Eye to Azkaban?"

"But I'm not becoming an auror!" Geoffrey shouted back in frustration, "I want to join the Order of the Phoenix! They are doing great things to try to stop You-Know-Who!"

"And getting killed left and right," Teresa added, "There's no way you are joining that cursed group, Geoffrey!"

"You want me to abandon my friends?" Geoffrey inquired.

"Your family comes first, and you know that," Frank explained, "You've always known that."

Geoffrey Gryffindor shook his head. "I'm doing this to protect the family, Father," he countered, "You've seen all that these Death Eaters are doing. If they see the Gryffindor Family as a threat, do you think neutrality will help us?"

The parents looked at each other for a long moment as this scene dissolved as well. However, it didn't reform into something new right away.

"What happened?' Harry asked.

"My parents gave in, but under one condition," Geoff recalled, "They demanded to Headmaster Dumbledore that I be put in a position where absolutely no harm could come to the Gryffindor Family. So, I was put in a message shop, monitoring the various chatter between Death Eaters that I could find. It wasn't much, but Dumbledore assured me that I was helping. But I could tell that he was disappointed that I was stuck feeding owls rather than using my magical abilities to help protect others. And that kept frustrating me as well. Don't get me wrong, I love my father, but Dumbledore was like a father to me as well, and I felt that I was letting him down."

"You did all you were allowed to do," Harry defended, "No one could have asked any more of you than that."

Geoff nodded his head. "Yes, you're right," he admitted, "But still, I could have done more if I were allowed to. I always think of what could have been."

"I guess that's only natural," Harry replied, "But it wasn't your fault."

It was at this point that their silvery surroundings shifted into the form of another memory of Geoff's. They were inside a different dwelling. This one was obviously not as ornate as the Gryffindor Manor that they were just in, but still was a house that could be sold for a very good amount of money. But the inside struck him as vaguely familiar for some reason. He looked around and immediately realized why. Sitting in a nearby chair was a very pretty young woman with thick, long, dark red hair and brilliant green eyes. She was wearing a blue dress and was holding an infant in her arms. Harry didn't even need to see his green eyes to realize where he was.

"My . . . my family," he said softly as he changed his view and saw two other individuals. One was the young Geoffrey Gryffindor, who had not changed much from when he had argued with his parents. The other was a tall, thin man with untidy black hair.

Geoff nodded. "Yes, your family," he confirmed.

"Geoff, you're putting your family image at risk by coming here," James warned as he briskly walked over to the door and locked it. The curtains were all closed, but Harry could tell that it was daytime at this point.

"I really don't give a hoot about the family image at this point," Geoffrey retorted, "Bunch of cowards, the lot of them."

"You shouldn't talk about them in that way," Lily said as she tickled baby Harry's nose.

"I'm not here to talk about my family," Geoffrey responded as he faced James again, "I came here to talk about yours."

"What about it?" James inquired somewhat defensively.

"I've heard that you, Lily and Harry are going into hiding soon," Geoffrey stated, "That you'll be using the Fidelius Charm to hide from You-Know-Who."

Harry quickly looked around and saw a calendar hanging on the wall. The month of October 1981 was on display, with every day up to the 13th marked off with a red X.

"What of it?" James asked. He definitely thought of Geoffrey's presence as somewhat annoying now.

"James, let me help you," Geoffrey begged, "You've done your share to stop You-Know-Who, but you have a wife to take care of and a son to raise. To stay here in Britain, under any circumstances, would be far too reckless now. I don't know why You-Know-Who has all his agents looking for you, but you need to get out of the country as soon as you can."

"And you could do that for us?" Lily asked.

"Absolutely," Geoffrey answered, "I talked to my father and he said that he has good connections with people in Worcester, Massachusetts. He told me that if you wanted a place to stay there, you'd be more than happy to head there."

"You want us to flee to the States?" James inquired.

"Yes," Geoffrey responded quickly, "That way, you could wait this all out. You've done enough for the Order. Let the rest of us finish it off."

"While You-Know-Who destroyed everyone else?" Lily demanded to know, "Over my dead body."

That remark sent a shiver through Harry's spine. He wondered if his mother realized how prophetic those words would become.

Geoffrey walked toward Lily as he spoke again. "Lily, that bravado worked in the past, sure," he began, "But look at you now. You have a son to worry about. What good will dying do for him?"

"You disappoint me Geoff," Lily responded, "I thought you were always the unselfish one. Now you're telling us to run for our lives while others are still at risk? What about Frank and Alice? Are you going to tell them to flee as well?"

"You-Know-Who is after you with all he has," Geoffrey explained, "I don't care whom you choose for a Secret-Keeper. He will find them and make them talk. Every man has his price, and he will find it. It would only be a matter of time before you'd be found."

"But if we went to the States, he'd find you, wouldn't he?" James said, following Geoffrey's logic, "So why should we feel any safer under your care?"

"First of all, I'm a Gryffindor," Geoffrey answered as he turned back toward James, "The Death Eaters wouldn't dare to harm me. And second, if he came for me, I'd disappear as well. And even if he caught me, I'd rather die than give the three of you up to his mercy."

"Geoff, I appreciate what you're trying to do for us," James began, putting a hand on Geoffrey's shoulder, "I have never gotten over that day you spat on my face, but I truly value our friendship. It really means a lot to me. I assure you."

"You spat on my dad's face?" Harry inquired with shock.

"He had stepped way over the line," Geoff defended himself, "I wanted to humiliate him."

"James, please, take your family out of Britain, at least for a little while," Geoffrey begged his friend, "You won't be able to fight for the Order once the Fidelius Charm's protection goes up, anyway."

"Geoff, let me ask you a question," Lily began as Geoffrey turned toward her again, "If You-Know-Who threatened to kill Severus unless you told them where we were, who would you betray to death?"

She asked it so calmly, it made Harry believe she feared nothing. But Geoffrey was obviously shaken. He gasped slightly in response to that question, then looked down to his feet. "I'd make them kill me," he finally answered.

"They wouldn't dare," Lily answered, denying him the easy answer, "Either Severus dies, or the three of us do. Whom would you choose to betray? You say as a Gryffindor, you can never betray your friends. Yet you are in a situation where You-Know-Who can force you to decide on who to betray, not if to betray. Who would you pick?"

Geoffrey had no answer. He just stood there, looking at the ground in front of him in shame. Harry understood that Lily had put him in an impossible situation, with no right answer.

Lily nodded slightly. "We won't even give you the chance to be put in that situation, Geoff," she began to conclude, "So don't even ask to be our Secret-Keeper, either."

"Then what can I do?" Geoffrey half-shouted, in his frustration forgetting baby Harry's presence in the room.

Lily worked to hush the crying infant in her arms while James pulled Geoffrey aside. "Geoff, just keep working for the Order," he instructed, "That's all you can do."

"Not anymore," Geoffrey replied shaking his head, "I'm going after him now. He has placed a death notice on the heads of my friends. And when the friends of a Gryffindor are threatened, the Gryffindor himself is threatened as well."

"That's a nice way to phrase proactive revenge," James stated.

But the guilt trip wouldn't work this time. "Standard operating practice for my family for generations," Geoffrey replied, "And I won't feel a bit sorry when I bring his head to Dumbledore on a silver platter." He added a good measure of malice to that last line.

"Geoffrey, killing someone is not a choice to be made lightly," James warned.

"It is when you are dealing with a man who is nothing but pure evil," Geoffrey retorted, "And that is all You-Know-Who is. To stop a greater evil by performing a lesser evil is not a hard choice to make for me."

"I hope you never do kill anyone," James said as he regarded the young man just out of Hogwarts, "I like you as you are now."

"I will do what is necessary," Geoffrey vowed, "I will find You-Know-Who and deliver him to the Great Beyond. I will keep you safe. I swear it."

"Geoff," James replied, "Don't go headlong into an action you'll regret later. That's what you told me."

"I won't," Geoffrey answered. He turned around and began walking for the door. But then he stopped and looked toward Lily. He approached her with his arms extended in front of him.

Understanding what he wanted, Lily stood up and put the infant Harry into Geoffrey's arms, when the young man cradled the one-year-old. "Don't you worry Harry," he said softly, "Uncle Geoff's going to find those bad guys who want to hurt your mummy and daddy. And I'm going to make them stop trying to hurt you. I promise."

And with that, Geoffrey placed Harry back into Lily's arms. James had unlocked the door in the meantime and Geoffrey walked to the door. Before leaving, he turned around and said, "Good bye."

"You knew," Harry realized as he saw Geoffrey leave the Potter's house, "You knew what was going to happen to them."

Geoff nodded slowly. "I knew that Voldemort would work quickly to find their Secret-Keeper," he explained, "Too quickly for me to find him. And by this point, Severus and I hadn't spoken in more than two years, though I still considered him my best friend."

"Would you have let him die?" Harry inquired.

"To this day, I am not sure," Geoff answered, "But Lily wouldn't give me the chance to be put to the test."

"How did you go about trying to find Voldemort?" Harry asked, "I'm sure it was no easy task."

The scene faded back into a silvery state. "Mostly from listening in on conversations and reading messages between Death Eaters," Geoff explained, "But as you probably know, Voldemort kept this particular operation very close to himself. However, I did read a message on October 30 stating something about 'The Dark Lord says our mission will begin its end in Godric's Hollow on the night of Muggle imitations.' I thought I had him."

"Godric's Hollow on Halloween night," Harry surmised.

"Precisely," Geoff said, "And I know Godric's Hollow like the back of my hand. I thought I had him. Voldemort wouldn't be able to go anywhere without me seeing him. And I was right."

That left Harry perplexed as the scene around them shifted again into an outdoor place at night. The stars were fully visible in the dark sky above. Nearby, Harry saw the outline and lights of an old church. Harry remembered that Halloween was All Saints' Eve, a religious occasion, so there was probably a church gathering on this night. Harry also spotted a graveyard, which was behind the church building as compared to the road. Harry spotted Geoffrey Gryffindor, wearing a blue wizard's costume and hat, walking toward the tombstones.

"You planned on going trick-or-treating?" Harry inquired.

"No, just something to make me blend into the surroundings," Geoff answered as Geoffrey went past them. They followed him to one of the larger tombstones in the graveyard, which bore the name "GRYFFINDOR" on it. Geoffrey then got down on his knees.

"Great and noble ancestors," he prayed, "Please let me find the evil that I seek to destroy. See to it that its intentions go unfulfilled. Use my hand if you have to." He then stood up and left the graveyard at a brisk pace.

"You prayed to your ancestors?" Harry asked. He had never seen this from a wizard or witch before.

"I was grasping for straws at this point, anything to make me feel more confident," Geoff explained, "As you can see I really didn't put much heart into praying. But I thought, 'What the hell? Why not give it a try? It can't hurt.' I just wish I had made my intentions more clear, because my prayer would be answered."

Again, Harry was perplexed by this statement. He knew what would happen this night. It had been told a thousand times to him and others already. That was, unless Geoffrey Gryffindor was a part of the greatest cover-up in Wizarding history.

Geoff and Harry followed Geoffrey out of the graveyard and into the streets of Godric's Hollow, where Halloween decorations surrounded them. Harry saw the children moving around them, dressed in their costumes with bags of candy in their hands. For one night every year, these children believed in a world of magic, in a world where anything was possible. Harry almost pitied them, for he knew that such a world existed. However, it was fraught with its own problems. Having magic really made no difference on that account. He saw knights fighting each other as they ran down sidewalks, witches running past them with brooms in their hands, ghosts who lagged behind all as they were careful not to trip over themselves, and so many other things. And Harry envied their childhood, for it was something he had never experienced.

"Who are you supposed to me?" Harry heard a child ask behind him. He turned around to find Geoffrey looking down a boy who was also dressed up like a wizard, though his costume was more decorated than Geoffrey's was.

"I'm Merlin," Geoffrey answered, "The greatest wizard who ever lived."

"No, I'm the greatest wizard ever," the boy argued.

"You think so?" Geoffrey asked as he crossed his arms, "Prove it."

The boy took his wand and waved it at Geoffrey. "Give me candy!" he ordered.

Geoffrey fell backwards as if he were pushed by some giant hand. "Oh, you are far too powerful for me, great wizard!" he exclaimed as he stood up, a piece of candy in his right hand, "Here is your candy."

"Thanks Merlin!" the boy said as he put the candy in his bag and ran off.

"I love kids," Geoff and Geoffrey remarked together as Geoffrey began to walk down the street looking for signs of trouble.

"Nice costume, mister!" that same boy remarked to a man cloaked in black nearby before rejoining his friends.

At that moment, Geoffrey stopped in his tracks and looked in that direction. "What happened?" Harry asked.

"I felt a surge of anger," Geoff explained, "Unlike anything I had ever experienced before. I thought someone was going to die right at that moment."

Harry looked at the cloaked man as he turned away from the child and began walking briskly up the street. Harry had a good idea as to who the man was though he hadn't seen his face. "Is that him?" he inquired.

Geoff sighed. "Yes, though I didn't realize it at the time," he admitted, "But I had a funny feeling it might have been him. I should have stopped him with a question. I should have asked him for directions. Something to confirm my suspicions. Alas, I did nothing but follow him."

Harry watched as Geoffrey, who had taken off his hat, followed Voldemort at a distance, though he was practically running at times to keep up with the Dark Lord. Voldemort never stopped to look behind him, never stopped to see if he was being followed. He didn't care at this point. His ultimate victory was at hand, and nothing was going to stop him now. Harry saw that Geoff's expression became more pained with every step Voldemort took. Harry understood why. "These memories of what could have been have haunted you ever since this night, haven't they?" he inquired.

Geoff nodded. "Then it is forgiveness that you want from me," Harry stated.

Geoff hesitated before replying, "I'm not sure if I want to be forgiven. My regrets have fueled my actions ever since this night. I don't think I can be the leader I have to be if you forgive me now."

"Then I'll forgive you when this is all over," Harry declared. He realized that his desire of a cover-up to be true wasn't going to happen. He had seen his parents. They were dead. Voldemort had killed them. There was no doubt about that, as much as Harry wanted the opposite to be true. But it wasn't Geoff's fault that they had died.

Voldemort turned and walked onto the grass of what appeared to be a deserted lot. Harry saw nothing but grass there. Geoffrey hid himself behind a nearby mail collector and watched what was happening. Suddenly, however, a perplexed look took hold of his face. "Wait, wasn't there supposed to be a house . . . ," he began, then his expression turned to horror, "Oh no!" He knew what was about to happen, and he had no way of stopping it now.

Voldemort took his wand and blasted the door of the house open, revealing it to Geoffrey's sight, along with Harry and Geoff.

"Lily!" they heard James Potter exclaim, "Keep Harry safe!"

Moments later, Voldemort pointed his wand into the entrance of the house again and said, "_Avada Kedavra!_" A green jet of light shot out from the end of his wand and into the house, and Harry distinctly heard a thud.

As Voldemort entered the house, Geoffrey's senses quickly came back to him and he sprinted for the door, pulling out his wand as he made the sprint. He didn't care about wizard secrecy at this point. He had lives to save. He reached the front door of the house as Voldemort entered the room in which Lily and Harry were trying to hide. Geoffrey saw James Potter lying on the floor at the foot of the staircase face down, wand in hand but he never had a chance to use it.

"James!" Geoffrey exclaimed quietly as he ran over to his friend's body and started trying to rouse him by pushing on his shoulder, "James! Come on! You have to get up! Lily and Harry are in trouble!"

"No, please, don't kill him," a woman's voice was heard from up the stairs, "Kill me instead. Let Harry live."

"This is your last chance," an icy voice responded, "Stand aside and you live."

"James, please, get up!" Geoffrey encouraged again, his mind dead set on the thought that James Potter could not be dead, "Get up!"

"No, please don't kill Harry," the woman's voice was heard again.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" the icy voice replied as a green flash of light came from the upstairs room, followed by another thud. At this point, the scene was so surreal that none of the shock of watching his own family die was registering in Harry's mind at all.

Geoffrey craned his head toward the top of the staircase and immediately began to bolt up the stairs, bounding up three at a time. But he knew already he would be too late as he heard an infant's crying.

"_Avada Kedavra!_" the icy voice was heard again as Geoffrey reached the entrance of the room.

"NO!" Geoffrey shouted at the top of his lungs as he pointed his wand at Lord Voldemort, hoping for him to fire the curse at him instead of Harry. At least Geoffrey would have a chance to defend himself.

But all Voldemort did was glance at Geoffrey as the green jet left his wand and struck the infant Harry. Instantly, the green jet rebounded off Harry's skin and struck Voldemort in the side of the head. A small explosion blew out a chunk of the wall of the room as the body of the Dark Lord emitted a shriek of pain and dissolved, seemingly carried away by the explosion out of the room and into the outside world. And the baby in the crib began to cry even louder than before, having felt the pain which would become a most famous scar.

Harry saw the world in the Pensieve around him freeze suddenly, just a few seconds after the famous event had taken place. He first looked out through the destroyed walls of the room and onto the outside world. The night sky was clear, showing all the stars twinkling away to their various ends. There was no wind on this night as Harry saw the children in the distant streets going from door to door, a bag in one hand of every child being filled with sweets as they went along. They seemed completely oblivious to the two-floor house that had just appeared from out of nowhere or the explosion which tore a huge hole in its second floor. Further in the distance, Harry saw the local village church and the graveyard adjacent to it, where Harry had been just a few minutes ago. It seemed as if what had happened in the house was the only thing of note to have happened on this night besides the trick-or-treating.

Looking back into the room, Harry now saw the aftermath of the situation which brought him the fame and the destiny that he never asked for. There was no body of the Dark Lord on the floor; it had seemingly dissolved into thin air when the Killing Curse rebounded into his head, which also caused the walls to blow out in the explosion. Near the side of the room was a white cradle. The baby boy in it had his eyes tightly shut and his mouth wide open, crying out at sensing an unfamiliar presence in his sight and then at the brief, sharp pain that had crossed his forehead, forever distinguishing him. On the floor next to the crib was the body of a young woman lying face down. Her long, thick, dark red hair scattered in every direction as her body hit the floor from her quick, painless death. It was a death which she freely accepted in an attempt to save her only child, and it was a sacrifice that worked beyond her wildest hopes in her final moments of life. And standing in the doorway was a six-foot-tall young man with neck-length brown hair and brownish-hazel eyes. Harry could see confusion starting to enter those eyes which only moments before had been filled with anger. His long, thin wand was in his right hand, aiming at where Lord Voldemort was just standing, a Killing Curse had been right on his tongue, ready to take immediate vengeance.

Harry then saw the older Geoffrey Gryffindor kneeling next to Lily's body. His head was fixed downward, looking at the destruction that Voldemort had wrought upon him. For a short time he was silent, then Harry heard a sharp intake of air from him, a sign that he had begun to cry. Geoff placed his right hand on the floor while his left hand went up to his face, trying to block Harry from seeing him cry. Harry knew that something had happened to Geoff that changed him in ways that Harry couldn't comprehend. He had seen the old Geoffrey Gryffindor; a young, idealistic man who always took the high road and was Dumbledore's Man through and through; when he spoke of killing, it was always to prevent a greater evil from occurring later on. Something had happened that had changed him into the Geoffrey Gryffindor he now saw before him; a man who would not let anything stand in between him and his goals, no matter how great those obstacles were. And Harry assumed that they had something to do with this memory. Something had changed Geoffrey Gryffindor from a kind young man into a brooding, dangerous one. And it had happened on this night.

Finally, Geoff looked up and into Harry's eyes. He saw only pain, grief, and regret in those water-filled orbs. Geoff knew that the time had come for him to ask something that he thought Harry would never give him if he knew the truth. But it had to be asked for, and he asked for it.

"Harry, can you ever forgive me?" he asked, his voice wavering with the emotions Harry had seen in his eyes, "Can you forgive me for forcing you to endure all these years of hell?"

Harry was perplexed once again. "I don't understand," he responded, "You didn't do this. It wasn't your fault this happened to me."

"Oh, but it is!" Geoff shouted as he stood up and turned away from Harry, punching a wall as he did so, "It's my fault! My inaction on this night left you an orphan! I'm sorry, Harry! I'm so sorry!" He began to cry again. He couldn't look at the man he had condemned to misery now. The shame was far too much.

"Geoff, what do you mean you condemned me?" Harry inquired, "It was Voldemort that killed my family, not you."

"I could have saved them!" Geoff shouted in anguish, "I could have stopped him in the street, just to make sure whether my gut instincts were right or not. How hard would it have been to ask for directions to Havant Street or something like that?"

"He may have killed you for bothering him," Harry answered, "And that would have done me no good."

Geoff nodded. It wasn't that part that hurt him so. "Maybe I couldn't have saved James," he admitted as he turned to face Harry, "But you saw what happened, what I did. I could have saved your mother, Harry. I could have saved Lily. I should have realized that Voldemort wasn't finished with his work and that I needed to find him before he could kill again. Instead, I tried to rouse a corpse."

"You couldn't believe my father was dead," Harry deduced, "You knew him for years. He seemed invincible. He had stood up to Voldemort before and survived."

"But I knew he wasn't invincible," Geoff replied, "I knew he wasn't. I should have realized it would have been faster if I had just gone up and stopped Voldemort myself."

"I've been in those situations too, Geoff," Harry began, "And I know from experience that your mind just doesn't work that way when this happens to you. In hindsight, I would have realized that the Triwizard Cup was a trap, that the maze was just too easy, that things were just too strange. And I would have realized that seeing Sirius in trouble was another trap. But when you are right there, your mind is moving at the speed of light and cannot stop to take a really good look at the situation around you. Trust me Geoff, I probably would have done the same thing as you did. I don't blame you Geoff. It wasn't your fault."

Geoff just stood there for a moment, lost in his thoughts. "So I take it that you forgive me," he stated at last.

Harry shook his head. "How can I forgive you?" he inquired, "I never would have blamed you, even if I knew."

The scene around them began moving again. "What in Merlin's name just happened?" Geoffrey asked out loud as he entered the room and looked around it, trying to understand what he had just seen. He then saw Lily's body on the floor. He was about to try to rouse her when a crying noise from the crib finally got his attention.

"Harry?" Geoff asked as he looked into the white crib and found Harry Potter, crying his eyes out, "There there, Harry, Uncle Geoff is here." Geoffrey then picked the infant up out of his crib and began to cradle him in his arms until the crying stopped, which didn't take long.

"You're good with this sort of thing," Harry noted.

"Thanks," Geoff responded as they watched Geoffrey slowly walking down the stairs toward the fireplace. Geoffrey wiped the tears from Harry's face as he reached the bottom of the staircase.

"Would it really be smart for me to use the Floo Network?" he asked himself. He decided against it and pointed it toward a downstairs window as he said, "_Expecto Patronem!_"

A blue light flashed momentarily in the room. It went away to reveal Geoffrey Gryffindor's patronus; a Eurasian Eagle Owl. Harry had seen this type of owl before. He always thought they were magnificent creatures.

"Find Sirius Black," Geoffrey instructed to his patronus clearly, "Tell him to come to Godric's Hollow immediately. Give him this address." The owl immediately flew through the window and disappeared.

Geoffrey sighed as he sat down in a nearby chair and devoted his entire attention to Harry. "I'm sorry Harry, I couldn't keep my promise," he apologized, "I'll make it up to you, I swear. I'll take care of you from now on if Sirius can't take you in." He then began to weep silently as he kept the baby from crying. He noticed the cut on the forehead left by Voldemort's attack. It wasn't bleeding, but Geoffrey knew that it would stay with Harry for the rest of his life.

"How did you survive, Harry?" Geoffrey asked quietly after about ten minutes of staring into the dying embers in the fireplace, "You were hit by a Killing Curse. You shouldn't be alive right now." He racked his brains, trying to recall anything from his memory that would explain how a Killing Curse could be stopped. "You didn't knock it away, I can see that scar where it hit you," Geoffrey continued as he lightly ran his finger along the lightning bolt-shaped mark, which started Harry crying again, "Oh, sorry! I didn't think it would still hurt."

To Harry, the scene was very surreal now. It seemed as if Geoffrey didn't even realize there were two dead people in the house with him. "You were still in shock at this point," he pointed out.

"Yeah, my mind hadn't completely understood what had happened yet," Geoff confirmed, "I had two thoughts going on at this point: taking care of you and trying to figure out what had just happened to you and Voldemort."

"You didn't knock away the curse, but it did bounce off your forehead," Geoffrey said once Harry had stopped crying, "It bounced off your head and hit You-Know-Who. But then he should be dead. But his body just vanished into thin air and caused that explosion upstairs. How could . . ." And then a look of grave concern crossed Geoffrey's face. "A Horcrux," he realized, "He must have a Horcrux around somewhere. He's not dead. You've bought us some time, Harry, but he's not dead."

"How did you know about Horcruxes?" Harry inquired.

"I asked Professor Slughorn about them in my seventh year," Geoff answered, "I read something about how they were not to be discussed in a book in the library, which struck me as extremely odd. I guess he thought I wasn't the type of person who would use one, so he told me about them. I almost wish he hadn't. The explanation made me sick for about a month."

"But then how did the curse just bounce off your head, Harry?" Geoffrey asked again, "I just don't understand how that could happen."

It was at this point that a loud rumbling noise was heard from outside the house. Harry looked outside the window and gasped. "The motorbike!" he exclaimed, "Ever since I was young, I remember always seeing a motorbike like that in many of my dreams!"

"You'll learn why shortly," Geoff promised.

Geoffrey got up slowly and cautiously, pointing his wand toward the open door while supporting Harry with his left hand and right forearm. "The bike, Sirius!? What are you doing!?" he exclaimed quietly as he crept toward the door.

"Geoff! Geoff! Are you in there?" he heard Sirius Black call out.

Geoffrey's body language immediately relaxed, though he kept pointing the wand toward the door. "Yeah, I'm here," he called back.

"Oh God! James!" he heard Sirius shout as he ran into the house and crouched down next to his best friend's body, "No! No, this can't be!"

"I'm sorry, Sirius, but he's dead," Geoffrey stated after a moment, realization finally dawning as to his part in this tragedy, "There's nothing we can do for him now."

Sirius stood up and faced Geoffrey, tears beginning to form from his grey eyes. "And Lily?" he inquired.

Geoffrey shook his head. He didn't have to say anything, nor did he want to. He was too afraid that he would let slip his own role in this sad state of affairs, his own incompetence. Sirius broke down and began to cry. "What about Harry, there?' he managed to ask after about a minute.

"He's alive, though I don't know how," Geoffrey replied, which noticeably raised Sirius's spirits, "I saw You-Know-Who hit him with a Killing Curse, but it bounced off his forehead. You can see where the spell hit him; it left a scar behind."

"Wait, you saw this happen?" Sirius asked, "Why didn't you stop him?"

_Uh oh!_ was the thought that immediately ran through Geoffrey's mind. "By the time I got up there, it was too late for me to save anyone," he answered, "There was nothing I could do, Sirius. I'm so sorry."

"No, it's not your fault," Sirius dismissed, "But I know who is at fault."

Geoffrey's full attention was now upon Sirius. "Who? Who betrayed James and Lily?" he inquired, intending revenge on the one who did this to his friends.

"Peter," Sirius said simply, "Peter Pettigrew was their Secret-Keeper."

This was not the answer Geoffrey had been expecting. He was taken aback. "Peter did this?" he asked in disbelief, "That's impossible! Peter would never have the balls to betray James."

"And yet, Peter did," Sirius answered solemnly, "I know, because James asked me to be Secret-Keeper, but I told him I was too obvious a choice. I told him to have Peter do it instead, to keep the Death Eaters off the real path."

Geoffrey's mind was racing at light speed again now, figuring out what this all meant. "James and Lily only went into hiding a week ago," he thought out loud, "If they tortured the information out of Peter, they would need to get that information confirmed in some way. Unless . . ." The next leap of logic was one Geoffrey could not make, for he couldn't believe its assumption.

"Unless Peter went to You-Know-Who willingly," Sirius finished, "He must have betrayed us."

"No, not Peter," Geoffrey denied, still holding Harry in his arms but showing little attention to him, "He'd never betray James."

"I never would have, but I knew that You-Know-Who would be gunning for me," Sirius explained, "So I told James to go with Peter instead. I mean, who would have bothered looking at Peter?"

Geoffrey thought about all this for a moment. And then he realized the truth was clear. Peter Pettigrew had betrayed James and Lily Potter to death. And in doing so, he also betrayed Geoffrey himself. "I trusted him," he muttered, "I trusted him, and he did this to me. He will pay for this with his life."

Sirius didn't respond; he was thinking the exact same thing. "I should contact Dumbledore about this news," he finally said, "Or do you want to Geoff?"

Geoffrey suddenly remembered that he was holding Harry in his arms. He put his wand back in his robe pocket and held the infant properly. "I'll hang on to Harry for now," he decided, "You can contact Dumbledore. We'll see what happens then."

Sirius nodded as he walked to the window while Geoffrey walked back upstairs with Harry and went back into the room with Harry's crib. Lily's body was still there, still face down on the floor. It was at this moment that Geoffrey realized the magnitude of his "mistake" and began to cry silently.

"Lily, I'm sorry," he began as he began to cry, "I'm sorry that I didn't save you. I'm such a fool. I'll take care of Harry for you. I'll raise him as if he were my own son. He'll grow up into a man you'd be proud of. It's the least I can do to make up for this."

"You are too hard on yourself," Harry said, "You can't do everything."

Geoff sighed. He knew Harry was right, but he couldn't forgive himself yet. He could once the war was over, but until then he would continue to make himself suffer. For that was what had driven him all these years. His shame drove his hunger for justice.

"Geoff, I sent the message to Dumbledore," Sirius called from the bottom of the stairs, "Can we talk about something down here?"

"Yeah, sure," Geoffrey called back as he went down the stairs and faced Sirius. He knew what this would be about, and knew that he'd have to break another promise tonight.

"Harry is my godson, Geoff," Sirius stated, "I should take care of him now."

"Can you take care of him?" Geoffrey inquired.

Sirius nodded. "I'll take him back to James's house and raise him there," he explained, "Geoff, I know you may feel guilty about all this, but you're still too young to be raising a child."

Geoffrey knew that was a lie, but he also knew that Sirius would be a good father to Harry. He walked up to Sirius and placed Harry in his waiting arms. "Then I'll go find Peter for you," he said, "You can't be ending up in Azkaban now."

Sirius nodded as he tended to Harry. "You know where to find him?" he asked.

"I'll track him down," Geoffrey replied, "He can't hide from me for long. And when I find him, I will make him regret ever knowing me."

"You sure you want to do that?" Sirius inquired, "You'll pretty much reveal your true stripes as supporting the Order."

"You-Know-Who is gone, so it doesn't matter now," Geoffrey replied as he thought about where he could find Peter Pettigrew, "Let's see how many will stand with him now that he's gone. Where does Pettigrew live?"

Sirius shook his head. "He won't be there anymore," he assured, "I was there earlier. He wasn't there and there was no sign of any struggle. Then I got your message and knew what must have happened. I am such a fool."

_So am I_, Geoffrey thought. "Don't worry Sirius, he won't fool us again," he assured, "What did Dumbledore tell you?"

"He's sending Hagrid for some reason," Sirius replied, "You should stay out of sight when he arrives. He doesn't know you're part of the Order for security reasons." He then looked out the window. "Speaking of the big man, he's here already," he noted as he turned back to Geoffrey, "You'd better head upstairs."

Geoffrey nodded as he went back up the stairs and entered the room where Lily's body still lay face down on the floor. "Lily, I'll make sure your son stays safe," he promised, "I'm sure Sirius could do that himself, but I'll make sure no harm comes to him."

"You keep promising her these things," Harry noted.

"I sound pathetic, I know," Geoff admitted, "But those were the only words I could find to say."

A few minutes later, they heard a loud rumbling noise from outside. Geoffrey's eyes went wide with shock. "Sirius! Don't abandon me now!" he exclaimed quietly as he left the room and rushed down the stairs and out the open door. He saw the rear lights of the motorbike growing smaller as it flew away, the sound fading with increased distance. Geoffrey also saw Sirius standing about fifteen feet in front of him, watching the scene as well. "Sirius?" Geoffrey asked with confusion, "Isn't that your bike?"

Sirius turned around and Geoffrey gasped. "Where's Harry?" he asked quickly.

"Hagrid took him," Sirius explained, "Said Dumbledore had plans in mind for him. I tried to talk him out of it, but Hagrid was firm. So I told him to take my bike too. I won't need it anymore."

Geoffrey was trying to fathom all this. "Did he say what Dumbledore plans to do?" he inquired.

"No," Sirius replied, "We can ask him what's going on later. We have a job to do."

Geoffrey nodded. "Kill a traitor," he finished, then looked back toward the ruined house, "What about their bodies?"

"I have a feeling Dumbledore will take care of funeral arrangements," Sirius mused, "We have to get out of here before we start drawing attention. I'd rather not see Bellatrix again yet."

Geoffrey nodded. "Lets head to London, we may be able to hear something about Peter's whereabouts," he suggested.

"I was thinking the exact same thing," Sirius replied.

"I was so stupid," Geoff criticized as the surroundings turned silver again, "I should have known Peter would be waiting for us, or Sirius at least. Of course, he was trying to avoid other Death Eaters, but he knew Sirius would also be after him. And he was waiting and we walked right into his trap."

"He set Sirius up," Harry stated, "I knew that already. I didn't know you were with him."

"I was watching his back, looking out for any other trouble," Geoff answered as the scene around them changed again, this time revealing the streets of London around them. They were crowded as people were heading off for their hour-long lunch breaks. Nearby, Harry saw Geoffrey walking toward him and Geoff. He was now wearing a very nice suit. Black shoes, pants, and three-button sport coat that was unbuttoned with a white shirt and red silk tie.

"You look like you could be working for Barclays," Harry remarked with a grin.

Geoff grinned as well. "I was trying to look like a lawyer, actually," he remarked as Geoffrey walked up the street, looking around for a traitor. When Geoffrey finally caught sight of Peter Pettigrew, he took one of his sport coat buttons and slid it through its slit on the other side of the coat.

"Was that a signal of some kind?" Harry inquired.

"Yes, buttoning my coat," Geoff confirmed, "It would tell Sirius when he saw me that I had news of Pettigrew's whereabouts."

Sure enough, a few moments later, Harry caught sight of Sirius Black, who looked a bit out of place in his coat. He rushed up to where Geoffrey was. "What's up?" he inquired.

"Found him," Geoffrey answered as he glanced toward where Peter Pettigrew was standing, looking around nervously, "I think we should take him aside and to some private place and kill him there."

"No, I want everyone to know what he did," Sirius insisted.

"We're surrounded by Muggles, Sirius," Geoffrey retorted, "They won't understand what's going on."

"Still, I want him dead, now," Sirius concluded as he broke away from Geoffrey and approached Peter. Peter turned around and walked into a nearby alley, both his hands in front of his body.

Geoffrey rushed across the street in time to hear Peter cry out, "James and Lily, Sirius! How could you!"

Geoffrey's eyes went wide with realization. Sirius had walked right into a trap. "SIRIUS! GET OUT OF THERE!" he hollered.

But it was too late. An explosion occurred from where Peter was standing. Geoffrey was too far away to be caught in it, but shielded his face from the rushing of air past him by putting his hand up in front of his face, which was turned to the side with closed eyes. Accompanied with the explosion were the screams of dozens of people as bodies went flying away from the source of the explosion. Geoffrey knew there would be fatalities; the alley was too crowded for those to be avoided.

When he looked again, the alley looked like a war zone. A large crater was now present on the ground where Peter had been standing only seconds before. Bodies were lying everywhere, some moved, others didn't. Blood was spattered all over the ground and walls. There was an especially big patch of blood in the crater, where Peter Pettigrew's clothing lay in tatters. And Geoffrey could barely make out a small bit of flesh near the clothes. It was a finger.

"Sirius! What did you do to him?" he shouted out.

He was stunned by what came next. Sirius started laughing. And he couldn't stop. It was a laugh that usually preceded madness. Geoffrey lowered his head in shame. Sirius had completely lost it. He knew he should have taken the lead, not Sirius.

And then Geoffrey saw something that seemed extremely out of place. A large, black rat was on the ground at his feet, looking up at him.

"That's him!" Harry exclaimed, "That's Peter!"

Geoff nodded. "It seems so apparent to you," he remarked, "But I didn't know Peter was an Animagus. At least, not yet."

Geoffrey looked down at the rat and examined it. There was nothing remarkable about him, really, except for his size and that he looked oddly familiar to Geoffrey for some reason. And then he looked at his front paws. And he saw that he right front paw seemed a bit smaller than the left. Geoffrey checked again, and saw that the right front paw was missing a digit.

"Missing a finger," Geoffrey muttered, then looked back up the alley and saw Peter's finger again. And then he suddenly remembered that he had once heard James refer to Peter as "Wormtail." Everything clicked in his mind as he looked back down at the rat.

"Hello there," he said with a grin, which quickly turned into a face of uncontrollable rage, "Wormtail!" Geoffrey then quickly brought up his right foot and stomped on where the rat had been standing.

Only Peter realized the jig was up and avoided the fatal stomp. He scurried as fast as he could toward the nearby grating in the street.

"No! Peter! Get back here!" Geoffrey shouted as he followed the rat, trying to catch it before he got away, but the rat scurried into the grating and out of Geoffrey's reach.

"No! No! You traitor!" Geoffrey cried into the grating on his hands and knees, "Peter! I will find you! Make no mistake! You are a dead man! You hear me? A dead man!"

At that moment, people that Harry realized must have been Ministry officials came into the scene and stood in the alley entrance, watching Sirius Black laugh. They stood there for a moment, then rushed in and grabbed him. One of them turned his attention toward Geoffrey and grabbed him. "You're coming with us, too," his voice ordered, which sounded familiar to Harry for some reason.

Geoffrey looked back at the man who had grabbed him. "Cornelius?" he said absently, then came to his senses as he saw Sirius getting carried away, still laughing, "No! No, you don't understand! He's innocent! He's innocent! I can explain everything!"

"Tell it to Crouch," Cornelius Fudge replied with a tone of dismissal as he dragged Geoffrey away from the scene as well.

"I think Peter wanted to accompany me back to my family and wait for news of Voldemort," Geoff remarked as the surroundings turned silvery again, "But once he realized that I knew who he was, that wasn't going to work. He got away from me."

"He found his way into the Weasley Family," Harry said.

Geoff nodded. "Yes, I know," he replied, "But by the time I learned of that, Peter had disappeared and found his way back to Voldemort himself. I'm still looking for him. I don't know what I'll do to him when I find him, but he will die. I will kill him."

Harry nodded. He had trusted Peter once, and he got away. Peter was a man who couldn't be trusted, and while Harry didn't like the idea, he realized that his double-crossing ways had gone on long enough. "What happened next?" he asked Geoff, "Were you taken to Azkaban?"

Geoff shook his head. "Once the Ministry realized that I hadn't done anything, they released me from custody," he explained, "I marched up to Minister Crouch's office and demanded that I be allowed to testify at Sirius's trial. He chuckled and then told me that there would be no trial for him. I was shocked when he told me that. I ran into Sirius before I left the Ministry and I told him that the truth would be told. He told me to find you and take care of you for him. I went to Dumbledore and I told him everything. He was kinda like a second father to me, and he told me, bluntly, that Sirius was gone and there was nothing I could do for him unless I found Peter alive. I went home at that point, a beaten man."

And with that, the scene reformed into the outside of the Gryffindor Manor in November 1981. Geoffrey, his head down, was walking toward the door, in front of which his father stood. His father wasn't angry, as Harry expected him to be. Instead, he appeared to be just as sad as Geoffrey himself. Without a word, Geoffrey walked up the stairs and stopped in front of him. They stood there for a moment, then both father and son embraced each other and began to cry.

"Dad, I'm sorry," Geoffrey apologized, "I should have listened to you. I put us all at risk for no reason. I was stupid."

"Son, I didn't say all that to protect us," Frank Gryffindor explained, "I did it to protect you. I knew how this would end, and I didn't want you to get entangled. I didn't want you to feel guilty about what would happen to your friends."

The scene faded back into a silvery background as Geoff continued. "I told my family about Sirius being innocent," he remarked, "They didn't believe me at first, but I brought them around. The whole family knew before long. I was invited to speak at Lily, James, and Peter's funerals, which were all being held on the same day, but in two different graveyards. I gave Peter Sirius's eulogy and spat on his grave when no one else was there. I felt powerless, and I hated it. So many of my friends had been taken from me. I told myself that those that remained would stay safe. And I was wrong again."

"Neville's parents," Harry realized, "What happened to them?"

"What you have been told happened to them," Geoff replied, "In December, they were attacked in their own home by Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange. At the time, Frank and Alice had left Neville in my care temporarily, supposedly to help me prepare for being a father. I'll never know if they knew they were going to be attacked. After I heard what had happened, I visited Frank and Alice in St. Mungo's. I took Neville with me. I thought I could handle it, that losing four friends so quickly had hardened me enough. I was dead wrong. I cracked."

"And Neville ended up in the care of his grandmother," Harry surmised.

Geoff nodded. "I tried to convince her to let me care for him," he continued, "But she would have nothing of it. She told me that everyone I was close to kept dying. She implied that I was cursed."

"You didn't believe her, did you?" Harry inquired.

"For a while, I agreed with her," Geoff answered, "And I found my way to the Leaky Cauldron shortly before Christmas. And that's where we go next, except now it is Christmas Day."

A new scene formed around them. It was a place that Harry recognized immediately. It was just outside the Leaky Cauldron in London. And nearby, walking toward the door of the pub, was a younger Severus Snape. Harry recognized him immediately. "I told you that he once saved my life," Geoff remarked, "This is what I was talking about."

Snape opened the door of the Leaky Cauldron and walked inside, shutting the door behind him. There were few people inside, which was decorated with wreaths and other Christmas items. Severus looked around and quickly found what he was looking for. He walked up behind someone sitting at the bar.

"Geoff," the cold voice began, "It's time for you to leave this place and get back to your life."

The man at the bar turned around on his stool slowly. Harry gasped at what he saw. It was Geoffrey Gryffindor, but he looked like a zombie of sorts. His hair was disheveled and tangled. His eyes were bloodshot and couldn't stay still, always wandering in their gaze. And his mannerisms were consistent with a man who had been drinking for some time.

"Were you trying to drink yourself to death?" Harry asked.

"No," Geoff answered, "I was just a man who didn't care whether he lived or died at this point."

Geoffrey scoffed at Severus, who was, for once, the better dressed man of the two. "Severus Snape," he greeted derisively with a noticeable slur, "They haven't thrown your arse in Azkaban yet?"

"I'm not with the Death Eaters," Snape informed Geoffrey, "Not anymore."

"Well of course you say that!" Geoffrey interrupted as he stood up, not too sure with his footing, "Your Dark Lord is gone and now you realize how stupid you were to follow him! You want to say you never realized what everything was leading to. You want to convince me that you thought all you did was for some greater good. Well, guess what, Snape? It isn't going to work on me. You may have convinced Dumbledore that you're not a Death Eater anymore, but it isn't going to work on me!"

Harry noticed that the room was now totally empty except for Snape and Geoffrey.

"Geoff, you think I wanted it to be like this?" Severus inquired, then looked around and saw the room was empty, "You think I wanted Lily to die?"

Geoffrey chuckled. "Oh, always the hopeless dreamer, aren't you?" he chided, no sympathy in his voice whatsoever, "I stood up for you when you lost her, dammit! And this is how you repay me? By killing her?"

"I never wanted her to die!" Snape shouted back, "I pleaded with the Dark Lord to let her live!"

Geoffrey laughed again. "You really think that if it were only James and Harry that died that you'd actually get to marry her and live happily ever after!?" he replied, "I knew you were delusional, Snape, but that is something else! It really is!"

At this point, Snape grabbed Geoffrey by the collar with both his hands and pulled him up next to his face. "Geoff, don't do this to me," he warned.

"Or what?" Geoffrey asked, "You think I'm afraid of you? I know all the little tricks you came up with, Severus. I know how to defend myself from them. You have no power over me."

"Geoff, don't abandon me now," Severus begged, "I need your help, and you need mine."

"Your help?" Geoffrey asked incredulously, "I don't need your help, Snape, nor would I want it even if I did need it. If I am going to die, it won't be because you stabbed me in the back again."

Severus let go of Geoffrey's collar and put his right hand over his face. "He's wondering how to get through to you," Harry pointed out.

"I was so angry with him," Geoff recalled, "After all I had lost, part of me never wanted to see him again. He was a Death Eater, and partly responsible for all that had happened to me. But another part of me was happy to see him. I was happy to know I still had a friend left in the world who actually gave a damn about me. But I didn't want him to see that."

Harry nodded as he turned back toward Snape. "Geoff, I'm sorry, I was an idiot," Severus admitted, "My actions were stupid. I felt like I needed a place to belong. All my life, I was always on the outside, looking in. And I hated that feeling. The Death Eaters gave me a chance to feel that sense of belonging."

Geoffrey's demeanor changed significantly. "Severus, you did need to join them to belong," he countered, "I accepted you as you were. You were my best friend. You could have asked me for help or a place to stay and I would have accepted you like a brother."

"I don't know why I didn't think about asking you for help, Geoff," Snape said, "Looking back on everything, I wish I had. But I didn't, and I'm sorry I didn't. I really am Geoff."

"No Severus, I'm the one who should be sorry," Geoffrey replied, "I should have reached out to you more than I did. I saw how you were slipping into the grip of your Slytherin friends, but I didn't do anything to stop it. If I had, maybe I wouldn't be in here right now, drinking my days away. Maybe James and Lily would still be alive. Maybe Frank and Alice would . . ." And then Geoffrey began to cry. He couldn't finish that sentence.

Severus waited a little while before he continued. "Geoff, you need to get out of this place," he stated, "You can't stay here, drinking the days away until your liver gives out. You need to move on and protect both what you still have and what you will have. You told me that the Dark Lord isn't dead, meaning he will return. Who better than you to destroy him once and for all?"

Geoffrey nodded slowly, a smile slowly crossing his face. "Severus, you're right," he said as he embraced his friend, "You are right. I have to get out of here. What am I doing here on Christmas Day? I'm going to get back to my family right now. Thank you, Severus, thank you."

As Geoffrey broke away from Snape, however, Severus grabbed Geoffrey's shoulder. "I don't think your family would appreciate seeing you in this state," he stated, "Why don't you get some sleep? I wouldn't want you to be undressing in public, you know."

Geoffrey nodded again. "Yeah, you're right," he admitted, "I'll rent out a room and sleep this off first. Tell my family I'll be home by tomorrow, would you Severus?"

"I will," Snape answered with a nod as he left the Leaky Cauldron.

"He didn't have to do all that for me," Geoff explained as the surroundings turned to silver again, "He could have just left me to rot in there. But he wanted to save me. He wanted to keep his only friend alive. I realized on this day, Christmas 1981, that Severus Snape is a loyal man, Harry. He is loyal to me, and he was loyal to Albus Dumbledore."

"Then why did he end up in Slytherin?" Harry asked, "Why did he join the Death Eaters in the first place? And what made him turn back to you?"

"What caused him to turn back was your mother's death, Harry," Geoff answered, "That changed everything."

"My mother?" Harry repeated, "How did she trigger any of this?"

Geoff knew he was entering territory he was not allowed to enter now. And he wasn't going to tread further now. "That, Harry, is something Severus will have to explain to you when he is ready," he answered, "I have no right to tell you about that."

"No, this charade has gone on long enough!" came the expected outburst from Harry, "Ever since I was one year old, people have been hiding me and hiding things from me. I'm sick of that! If it's my destiny to save us all, I need to know everything! Anything that might prove useful, I need to know!"

"Harry, I understand that you are frustrated, and you have every right to be frustrated. But this isn't a case of me hiding things from you," Geoff explained, "Severus's support for me is unwavering, and that is all you have to know. The reason why that is needs to be told to you by Severus himself. It's not my place to say anything more about that."

Harry was still frustrated, but decided he needed to keep quiet for now about this matter. "Is that all you want to show me?" he inquired.

"One more thing," Geoff answered, "Although you may find this portion of my memory . . . disturbing." And with that, their surroundings went from silvery to somewhat translucent, with the final scenes playing out like shadows cast on curtains. "You don't need to see this in all its detail."

Harry saw two shadowy figures in front him, walking as if they had just passed each other in a hallway. One figure suddenly turned around, which is when Harry noticed this figure had what appeared to be a dagger in his hand now. He watched as this figure grabbed the other from behind and then began to plunge the dagger into his back over and over again, then watched as the victim collapsed onto the ground, dead from his wounds.

"You . . . you killed him," Harry stated in shock, "You murdered him. Why?"

"Because he was a Death Eater," Geoff answered.

"That's it?" Harry inquired incredulously, "That was the only reason you killed him?"

"Yes," Geoff replied neutrally, "This happened shortly after Christmas. I was just so angry at the Death Eaters, especially after what happened to Frank and Alice. The war was over. They lost. And when the war ends, the attacks are supposed to stop. But the Death Eaters attacked me again. And for that, I made them pay."

Harry watched as the scene he had just seen repeated itself again and again. He saw six men stabbed to death by the man who now appeared to stand no more than 10 feet away from him. Harry was stunned by this. "You're a monster," he finally accused, "You're no better than they are."

Instead of denying this, Geoff lowered his head. "Now you see why I had to wait to show you all this," he declared, "I knew that Dumbledore had worked his influence on you too much for my own good. He did the same to me when I was at Hogwarts to an extent. If it wasn't for his influence, I wouldn't have stopped at six. I would have kept going until none were left or until I was killed by them. Harry, don't get me wrong. Albus Dumbledore was a great man, greater than I could ever hope of being. But I found that his path, one that says that good alone is enough to defeat evil, leads to too much pain and suffering for good and innocent people. My view is that good is not more powerful than evil. Nay, man succumbs to evil so easily and finds it so hard to stay on a good path. To take the evil path to the end is so much easier and faster than taking the good path. But evil is so easily turned on itself. That is how good defeats evil: by using a lesser evil against a greater evil. I may be a monster, Harry, but I'm not a Death Eater. I am fighting on the same side as you. I am fighting to defeat Voldemort."

"You're becoming too much like what you seek to destroy," Harry warned, "You keep justifying your actions to yourself, saying that you commit evil for the sake of good. Perhaps that's true, and perhaps it's necessary, but it isn't a very big step at all from there until you simply become evil. Violence never solves anything."

"I know it's not right to use violence, Harry, but I'm not a saint, nor do I advertise myself as one," Geoff responded, "But we are dealing with an enemy who does not hesitate to use lethal force against us and would see all that we have worked so long and so hard to build burn to the ground. All our progress in our relations with Muggles, goblins, giants, vampires, centaurs . . . all of it, washed away because of racist fanatics. I will not allow it to be destroyed because of them."

"I don't want to see it washed away, either, but you are becoming what you seek to destroy," Harry repeated, "And if you do that, Voldemort wins."

Geoff paused for about ten seconds, considering what Harry had just said. "Dumbledore told me that, too," he remarked, "And honestly, I think he was wrong. Just because I kill doesn't mean I'm like Voldemort. Our ideals are nothing alike. And in the end, that is what makes us all different. He kills for a world ruled by his tyranny. I kill to stop that tyranny, not to establish my own."

Harry began to walk away from Geoff, seeking to end this stream of memories that had turned so dark so quickly.

"Harry, I just want you to know that I will continue to support your endeavors unquestioningly," Geoff called out, "We both want the same thing, and I will do whatever I can, whatever you want, to achieve that end. I have faith in you, Harry Potter. You truly will be our salvation from evil."

These words echoed through Harry's head as he raised it from the Pensieve.

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Author's Notes: So much to talk about . . .

Yes, I know the writing at the end of the chapter is a bit lacking, but I just wanted to end this chapter and move on. Sorry about that.

Unfortunately, work on this story may be slowing down, as I will now be focusing equally on this story and The Legend of Zelda: Dark Apprentice, which will debut on FanFiction in June 2009. Once again, it is my intention to finish this story. But if I end up not having the will to do it, I will provide a summary of what remained and an epilogue so that this story isn't incomplete. This story WILL have an end, I assure you. And by my count at the moment, I only have 10 chapters to go to reach that ending.

If you are a fan of a particular music group, you can probably guess what the next chapter title will be. In any case, until next time, read, review, and enjoy.

Oh, and check out my Harry Potter one-shot, Last Words of Evil, which will be released next Friday!


	28. 27: Is the Killer in You

**Author's Notes**: Well, it looks like I can still write plenty with the school computers. Still, I need to get a replacement personal computer sooner or later. Anyway, thank you all for your patience to wait for this next chapter.

As always, thank you to all my readers since my last post. This story has now surpassed 21,000 hits and The Legend of Zelda: Land of My Dreams is getting close to breaking 7,000. And here are the special thanks to all my reviewers.

ProfessorChris: Remember, Geoff's family didn't want him to get involved with the war at all. Geoff is powerful enough to challenge Voldemort, but he just couldn't find him before that night. And now that he knows about the Horcruxes, he continues to avoid Voldemort himself until he is vulnerable. And that moment is coming soon. Thanks for your continuing support. By the way, it looks like Arsenal will get their top four position... as usual. God, Premier League soccer is exciting, but the end results are so predictable.

Clex-Lover86: I'm sorry for cutting the story off like that, but the chapter needed to end. And don't worry, I know what happens to Harry in this story. However, I can't tell you what that fate is... yet. Thanks for your support.

Binka Fudge: No, your points make a lot of sense. Good and evil are not as clear-cut as J.K. Rowling would have us believe from Deathly Hallows. As I have said before, the endings are never that easy. Harry doesn't blame Geoff for not saving Lily, but he is also horrified at what Geoff did afterwards, murdering Death Eaters in cold blood. Who is right here? I'll let you decide, because good and evil are not always easy to separate. What do you call the person who commits evil deeds for the sake of good? What I didn't like about Deathly Hallows was that Rowling kept Harry so far on the side of good. Yes, Harry did do some bad things in the story, but he never came anywhere close to crossing the line as Geoff has. Geoff has no problems with killing those that would oppose him, though he would much rather prefer not to kill if he can help it. As for Snape, Deathly Hallows made everything about his past finally make sense. Snape's past is one of the things I decided to apply to this story because it just explains everything about his behavior toward Harry. Anyway, thanks for the review.

Okay, last chapter's Monty Python reference was rather obscure. It was Snape's comment to Geoff saying that he didn't want Geoff to undress himself in public. This comes from the sketch "Undressing in Public" from the fourth episode of Monty Python's Flying Circus. In this sketch, Terry Jones is trying to undress on and near a beach into his swimwear, but he keeps getting interrupted and keeps ending up in one bizarre situation after another.

Fair warning, the contents of this chapter are a bit disturbing. You have been warned, therefore I am not liable for any hospital bills or legal fees.

With that out of the way, here is the next chapter.

**Chapter 27: . . . Is the Killer in You**

Harry looked at the man before him. Physically, he was no different now than he was when they entered the Pensieve. But now, to Harry, Geoffrey Godric Gryffindor was a completely different man. He now saw a criminal, a serial killer, sitting in front of him. And yet was it fair to call him that, with all the remorse he had shown? The way he talked and acted, Harry felt that Geoff knew he was damned to spend an eternity in hell. Geoff was a man who knew what he had done, what he was doing, was wrong, but at the same time was the only thing he could do. Harry knew that both he and Geoff were right in their own way. It wasn't right to kill, but to say that killing made Geoffrey exactly like Lord Voldemort was utter nonsense. Geoff had spent his entire adult life helping to stop the Dark Lord's mad schemes. He truly was an ally to Harry. And yet what Geoff had done was unforgivable.

"I just don't know what to say right now," Harry finally stated as he shook his head slowly, "I just don't know what to tell you, Geoff."

It was a struggle for Geoff to continue to look at Harry now, afraid that what little trust there was left between the two would vanish in an instant if he even looked at Harry in the wrong way. "I understand why you feel as you do about me now," he replied, "But my duty is to protect you and to help you complete your task of killing You-Know-Who once and for all. Harry, no matter what you think, no matter what happens; I am here to help you. Please remember that."

Harry nodded. He already knew that, but now the information he had wanted so dearly haunted him terribly. And now he wondered how it must have felt for Geoff himself. Harry only needed to see those memories once. Geoff had to live with them every single day for the rest of his life. "It must be terrible for you to have to relive those memories over and over again," Harry pointed out.

"It's my own personal hell," Geoff confirmed, "To think about what could have been. It's funny, really. I have everything I ever really wanted in life now. I have a wonderful family, a great job with a clear path to becoming Headmaster of Hogwarts, and a clear path to defeating the greatest threat to the Wizarding World. Sure, I should worry about that last bit, but I have been blessed in my life. And yet my memories chain me to sorrow for all my days."

"It doesn't have to," Harry claimed, "Look at Gary. Ever since he killed Fenrir Greyback, he's been on cloud nine."

Geoff nodded. "Yes, that's true," he admitted, "Let me tell you something, Harry, when I saw Gary today and I saw him using his wand and that smile on his face, I wanted to just burst out crying. It has been a very long time since I've seen him like that. Maybe there is hope for me after all. But first, we have a job to finish. One more Horcrux, and then we go for the jugular."

"Right," Harry affirmed as he and Geoff stood up from the table and began to walk up the stairs to the main hallway of the house.

When they got to the hallway, they found Gary waiting for them, still in his yellow robe. It was something Harry doubted he'd ever truly get used to seeing.

"And now for something completely different," Gary remarked, "Or perhaps not. Severus has a little 'gift' for you in the drawing room, Geoff. Don't be alarmed with how it looks."

"Were you expecting a gift from Snape?" Harry inquired.

"No, this is a surprise to me," Geoff answered, "And I have no clue what it might be. He certainly does have a bit of catching up to do." And with that, Geoff led Gary and Harry toward the drawing room.

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"What the hell is this, Severus!?" Geoffrey half-shouted, "You bring a prisoner into this house and call it a gift!? You can't be serious!"

Snape smiled at that. And Harry knew from experience that when Severus Snape smiled, someone was about to get hurt. "Trust me Geoff, you'll be very happy with this one," he assured, "He's been a real bother to me for the past few months and I've been wondering how to get rid of him. I'll leave that in your hands now."

"'Get rid of him'?" Geoff repeated, "Severus, you could have killed him yourself if you wanted to be rid of him so badly." The callousness of this statement made Harry shiver.

"No Geoff, it's only right for you to take care of this," Severus replied as he walked over to the short, pudgy man sitting in the chair. His hands were bound to the arms of the wooden chair he was sitting in and his ankles were attached to the chair legs in a similar fashion. He was wearing all black, topped off by a black hood which covered his head. The lack of sound from the man told Harry that he must have been gagged as well.

Geoffrey walked over to the bound man and a different look entered his eyes. "Wait, this isn't him, is it?" he inquired as he examined the prisoner's body, especially his right hand, which was out of Harry's view.

"It isn't the Dark Lord, but I suppose for you, the next best thing," Snape answered as he grabbed the top of the hood. He then pulled it off, revealing that the man had indeed been gagged.

The man squinted at the sudden brightness of light that greeted his eyes, but that could do nothing to hide his identity from those in the room. He had small, watery eyes and a pointed nose. His thinning hair had lost the brown color it once contained. And as Harry walked around the room toward Geoff, his right hand finally came into view for him. It was not a normal hand in any sense. It was colored silver and seemed ephemeral, existing at one moment and not the next.

"What treachery is this, Snape?" Harry demanded upon realizing who it was.

Before Severus had a chance to answer, Geoff began to laugh. And it was a laugh that Harry did not like to hear at all, especially from him. It was the kind of laugh that a man with evil intentions makes when they see victory in their hands. It was the laugh of one whose intention was to toy with the enemy before them. Harry realized that Peter Pettigrew, the one who set all these events in motion, was about to die a very grisly, painful death at the hands of the man who had sworn to kill him almost 20 years before.

"Severus, my friend, I must thank you," Geoff said as he patted Severus's shoulder, "I always wanted to have this opportunity."

"I know," Snape answered as he began to walk out of the room, "I have no desire to stay here and watch what you do with him, Geoffrey. Just promise me that you'll kill him."

Harry saw a huge change in Geoff's eyes. It was as if Snape giving him permission to kill changed him into something completely different, something barely human, if it was human at all. It was a look Harry had seen before, but he had trouble remembering where.

"Of course Severus, of course," Geoff replied, "I wouldn't have it any other way."

Severus and Gary left the room together, but Geoff saw that Harry was rooted in place in the corner of the room nearest to him. "Harry, this is not going to end well," Geoff warned, "I think you ought to leave the room."

Suddenly, Harry remembered where he had seen the look in Geoff's eyes before. He had seen them in Voldemort's eyes that night in the graveyard. Geoff was walking dangerously close to a point from which there would be no returning from. "Geoff, I don't like where this is going, for your own sake," Harry stated, "I'm not leaving."

"Don't say I didn't warn you," Geoff replied as he turned his attentions to Peter Pettigrew, "And as for you, I would have thought no warning would have been necessary, you sniveling little rat!" And with that, he smacked Peter on the side of his face, drawing a muffled cry of pain from the Death Eater.

"Oh, this is only the beginning of the pain, Peter," Geoff assured his intended victim as he bent down over his head, his eyes dripping with evil desire, "Before this is over, you'll be begging me to kill you, I promise you that. I have been waiting for this moment for 17 years. For 17 years, the pain you have caused me makes me exist in a living hell. Now, I'm going to make you experience that hell before I send you to it."

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Harry could barely watch at times, but he forced himself to continue. For 20 minutes, Geoff tortured Peter Pettigrew, degrading him with all kinds of names with Peter unable to reply. And then Geoff would batter him with his bare hands, opening cuts all over his face which began to seep out blood. At this point, Peter was struggling just to breathe, let alone prepare himself for the next blow. Geoff had now taken to slapping Peter across the face, his cheeks becoming bright red at first, then beginning to swell and bruise from the continued assault upon them.

Harry wanted to stop it. Even for someone as two-faced and treacherous as Peter Pettigrew, no one deserved to be put through this kind of torture. And yet a part of him wanted to see the scene continue. A part of him saw this as Peter's bad karma, coming back to haunt him in the end. The betrayals he had committed against James, Lily, Sirius, Remus and Harry had finally caught up to him once and for all. Peter Pettigrew was guilty of murder many times over. It was right for him to suffer at the hands of one whom he had betrayed. And Harry knew that to interfere this time would be a meaningless gesture. Peter had taken the opportunity to escape last time he spared him, but Geoff wouldn't hear of doing such a thing, especially after hearing Snape's instruction to make sure Pettigrew ended up dead.

But something just wasn't adding up to Harry. "Geoff," he began while Geoff was preparing himself to inflict even more pain on Peter, "How is Snape going to explain this to You-Know-Who? How is he going to keep his cover?"

It was an innocent question, but the way Geoff reacted, Harry may as well have punched him in the face. Geoffrey looked at Harry with an expression of utter anger. Geoff had become an animal. His sole focus was to hurt Peter Pettigrew. And any interference was perceived to be an attack. However, after a few tense moments, Geoff found his senses and realized that Harry's question deserved serious consideration.

"I'm sure Severus has some explanation ready for the Dark Lord," he reasoned, "Pettigrew had become rather useless to him from what Severus has told me, anyway. You-Know-Who will not care to lose this worthless rat." And with that, Geoff returned his attentions to Peter.

Harry was surprised by what happened next. He thought Geoff would go back to hitting Peter. Instead, he reached the back of Peter's neck and untied the cloth that was holding a sock in his mouth, allowing him to breathe freely at last. Peter took huge gulps of air in and out of his lungs as he tried to forget about the pain he was in and tried to figure out a way out of this predicament.

"Geoffrey, please, I'm sorry," he pleaded, "Snape is trying to trick you. If you kill me, you'll be playing right into Vol…"

Geoff grabbed his face with his right hand, like a claw that clamped itself on either side of Peter's mouth and squeezed inward, preventing him from speaking. Geoff leaned into Peter's face until they were merely inches away. "Try to say it again and I will kill you on the spot," he warned as he pushed Peter away forcefully back into the chair.

"Oh, yes, I completely forgot about the Taboo," Peter apologized, "I'm sorry Geoff, it was an accident."

"I'm sure it was," Geoff replied in a way that made it clear he did not agree with Peter, "You were saying?"

"Yes, I was saying that if you kill me, you'll be playing right into the Dark Lord's hands," Peter continued, "Snape will lose his cover and will end up dead, and then you lose your only lead on the Dark Lord. Geoffrey, please, you have to understand that what I'm telling you is true."

Geoff chuckled. "Peter, you fool, my victory is at hand," he claimed, "I don't need Severus anymore as an insider. I know where the last of his Horcruxes are, so I will destroy that and then I will lead your master into a trap that he will not be able to resist. He will die, once and for all, and the Death Eaters will flee to the winds, never to bother anyone again. But you will not get to see the triumph of good over evil, Peter. You will be in hell, rotting like the traitor you are."

Suddenly, Peter appeared energized, as if he had breathed in something that gave him a second life or a feeling of invincibility. "You call yourself good, Geoff!?" he asked, "Look at what you've done to me! Look at what you did to other human beings! You're a murderer, just like us! You beat me like this and you call yourself good? How can you justify what you've done to me, Gryffindor!?"

Geoff grabbed a nearby chair and pulled it over so that when he sat on it, he would be looking right at Peter. He sat down the in the chair and stared at Pettigrew for a few moments. "You first, Peter," he demanded calmly, "How can you justify all that you have done? You betrayed all the people that trusted you as a friend. James and Lily trusted you to keep them hidden, and you betrayed them to their deaths. Sirius trusted you to be man enough to face your crime, and you betrayed him to the Dementors. Harry here trusted you to be grateful for his mercy toward you, and you betrayed him by running away the first chance you got and then coming back to try to kill him. But most of all Peter, you betrayed me. I trusted you as a friend, and you betrayed that trust. Tell me Peter, why did you give yourself to him?"

Peter took a few moments to find his voice again. Geoff left no stone unturned in dealing with his past. "Well Geoff, I figured that I needed to look out for myself and my own well-being," he began, "I mean, the Dark Lord was taking over everything. His reach was so extensive. He even had people in the Ministry, for God's sake. I figured that if he came after me, no one would be able to help me. So I went to him, I admit that, but I never meant for the others to be hurt."

"Then what was your intention, Peter?" Geoff asked incredulously, "You knew that all the others had death notices on their heads by opposing You-Know-Who."

"I was going to convince them to stop and leave the country," Peter continued, "Then they wouldn't be a threat to the Death Eaters. I wanted to become an insider, an informant. I was going to find the Dark Lord's weaknesses and exploit them, I swear. It's just that things moved too fast for me to do anything. I didn't want to die needlessly. I needed time, and though it hurt me to do so, I was willing to sacrifice James and Lily to buy that time. I don't know why the Dark Lord wanted Harry dead, but I needed to keep my cover to find his weaknesses and exploit them. Geoffrey, I'm telling you the truth, I swear. Please don't kill me."

Harry couldn't take anymore. "You liar!" he shouted, the anger in his voice shattering Peter's composure, "How dare you even speak of my parents like that, as pawns in a game you were playing! Admit it, Peter! You're a coward! You went to You-Know-Who only because you wanted to hide behind the most powerful person you could find. You betrayed my parents for your own piece of mind, Peter!"

Geoff chuckled again. "Harry, you don't need to state the obvious," he claimed, "Coward or not, Peter Pettigrew would never sacrifice his own soul for the greater good, as he just claimed he did. That was a great story, but I'd like to hear the truth now, Peter."

Peter hesitated before he answered. "Geoff, please, I was weak, I know," he began, "But he was so powerful, I felt that to oppose him was suicide. You have to understand, Geoffrey, he would have killed me!"

"That's it? You were afraid," Geoff asked for clarification, "That's why you joined them?"

Peter nodded his head. "I'm sorry Geoffrey," he begged as Geoff stood up to grab Peter's wand from off a nearby table, "I'm sorry."

"Peter, I'd like to thank you for that information," Geoff said calmly as he stood in front of Peter, "It really puts a lot of questions I had to rest. It will really let me sleep more soundly from now on."

"You really mean that, Geoff?" Peter asked, hope in his voice that the truth would actually set him free now.

"Absolutely Peter. Why would I lie to you now?" Geoff replied, "All I wanted was the truth."

"Well, I gave you the truth, Geoff," Peter assured, "I was afraid. I was a fool. Please forgive me."

Geoff looked down at Peter for a moment, as if deciding what to do with him. He then pointed Peter's wand, which was in Geoff's right hand, at Peter's head. "_Crucio_," he commanded.

At that instant, Geoff's facial expression changed from one of serene calm to that of a vengeful demon. And this anger fed the Unforgivable Curse that struck Peter without any warning. The cries of pain he emitted made Harry shiver to his very core. He writhed in the pain, trying to find some way out of it all. But there was no escape as Geoffrey Gryffindor kept the indescribable pain going.

And then suddenly it stopped after about 10 seconds. Harry was shocked that Geoff stopped so soon. He was almost certain that Geoff would do to Peter what Bellatrix Lestrange had down to Frank and Alice Longbottom; use the Cruciatus Curse to drive the victim into a coma from which there would be no recovery, a fate worse than death. _Maybe he does have more good in him than I thought_, Harry thought about Geoff.

What happened next made this thought flat out wrong. "You want to know what power really is, Peter!?" he shouted like a madman, "That was just a taste of it! You should have died for your friends, like they would have done for you! You selfish son of a bitch! When this is over, I'm going to make sure that everyone knows the kind of person you were! That's true power, Peter! You want power, Peter, huh!? Here, have some more!" And with that, another jet emerged from the wand and his Peter, causing him to go into excruciating pain once again.

Harry saw that this time, Geoff wasn't going to stop. He was going to drive Peter into insanity. And it was at this moment that Harry's good nature came to the front again. "Geoff! Stop!" he shouted as he ran over to Geoff, "Stop it! Please, stop it!"

Harry grabbed Geoff's right wrist and tried to pull it away in order to break the spell, but it didn't budge. No matter how hard he pulled or pushed, Geoff's arm remained fixed in place, continuing the Cruciatus Curse and its suffering on Peter Pettigrew, whose screaming would haunt Harry's nightmares. The thirty seconds that this continued for seemed to last several eternities to Harry.

Finally, Harry lunged at Geoff in an attempt to knock him down to the floor. His right shoulder caught Geoff right in the side of his upper ribs. This time, not even strength of will Geoff had could stop him from being knocked over. The spell was broken before Geoff hit the floor on his right side with Harry stopping him from getting up immediately.

"Geoff, you have to stop this! I'm begging you!" Harry exclaimed as he got up on his hands and knees, "No one deserves to have that done to them!"

"He does!" Geoff retorted as he pointed at Peter, breathing very audibly as he was trying to recover from Geoff's attack, "He betrayed me! He betrayed you, Harry! He would have seen you dead and not give a damn about it! He killed your parents! He deserves to suffer for everything he has done!"

"He does deserve to suffer, but not like this," Harry denied, "If you drive Peter into insanity like this, you'd be just like Bellatrix. You'd be just like him, Geoff! Is that what you really want, Geoff? Do you really want to be just like them? Because if that is what you want Geoff, I want you out of my house right now!"

Geoff took a moment to think about what Harry had just said. And he realized that Harry was right about everything he had just said. He didn't want to become like the Death Eaters. He didn't want to be like Peter and his compatriots. "How easily anger can lead us from good to evil," he remarked quietly as he and Harry stood up again, "Harry, you are a much better man now than I could ever hope of being. I can't thank you enough for what you just did."

"Yes, thank you Harry," Peter added, still in pain from the curses he had been hit with, "You saved my life again."

"I didn't do that for you, Peter!" Harry said angrily as he looked at Pettigrew, "I did it for Geoff. And it's not like you're going to leave this house alive."

"Wait a second," Geoff interrupted, a slight smirk on his face, "Harry, you saved Peter's life before?"

"Yeah, I saved him from Sirius and Lupin killing him four years ago," Harry informed.

"No! No, that isn't true!" Peter shrieked, not wanting to give Geoff a chance to formulate another plan to make his past turn again him, "I misspoke! He didn't save my life!"

"The cat's out of the bag already, Peter," Geoff informed his former friend, "Remus told me the story a couple years ago, anyway. I just didn't remember it until now. You owe Harry here a life debt. You know what that means, don't you Peter?" His smirk had now turned into a smile that stretched from ear to ear.

Peter nodded his head. "I'll serve Harry from now on," he claimed, "Even better, I'll join you Geoffrey. I have so much information on the Dark Lord that you could use against him. Why let it all go to waste? Please Geoff, you need me."

"First of all," Geoff began, "You know nothing about You-Know-Who that I don't already know. Second, as I said before, I have already planned the fall of your master, and it will happen very soon, I assure you. Third, you have no sense of loyalty, Peter. I wouldn't trust you in any capacity, so you are quite useless to me. And finally, no, that's not what you do because of your life debt."

"What does this life debt mean, then?" Harry inquired, having heard about this from Dumbledore before but never getting it explained to him.

"It means that Peter here cannot betray you, Harry," Geoff explained, "No matter what he does; he cannot do anything now that would end your life."

"That can't be true," Harry denied, "He was there at the graveyard three years ago."

"Peter wasn't the one who set that trap," Geoff pointed out, "And besides that, this is the first time you have seen Peter face-to-face since then, isn't it?"

Harry thought for a moment, and then nodded. "Yeah, it is," he remarked, "So he can't tell You-Know-Who about where I am?"

"Correct," Geoff answered.

"I won't tell him, Harry. I promise," Peter said quickly, "You see, I'm no threat to you. Get me out of this chair."

"True, Peter," Geoff began, "But you could tell the Dark Lord where I am, and not even mention Harry here. Certainly you owe no debt to me."

"But that would put Harry in danger!" Peter retorted, "And I can't do that!"

"Maybe," Geoff replied, "Maybe you have me there. But there is one thing you could do that I cannot allow to happen. You could tell You-Know-Who that Severus has been working for me all this time and is on my side."

Peter hesitated for a few moments before he could find a response. "The Dark Lord knows that Snape is giving you information," he pointed out, "It was part of his plan. See, he thinks Snape is really his man. And trust me; nothing I could say would cause him to think otherwise. Snape is his right hand man. I'm just a lowly annoyance."

Geoff leaned into Peter's face again. "That's where you're wrong, Peter," he explained, "You see, I happen to know that your master suspects Severus isn't truly on his side. This all started when Fenrir Greyback was killed by my brother about a month ago. Only Severus knew where he was going that night and You-Know-Who knew that as well. Now, in a way, Greyback getting himself killed was a bonus for him, but he certainly must look at Severus with a wary eye. And I'm afraid your testimony, along with your injuries, will cost my best friend his life. And that's a risk I will not take."

"Geoff, please, don't kill me," Peter pleaded, "I'll do whatever you want. Just don't kill me!"

Geoff chuckled for a moment, which caused confusion for both Harry and Peter. "Well Peter, I guess this is your lucky day," he informed, "I'm not going to kill you."

"You're not going to kill me?" Peter asked, hardly daring to believe this unexpected turn of events.

"No, I'm not going to kill you, Peter," Geoff affirmed.

Peter sighed with relief. "I knew you were still a good man, Geoffrey," he claimed, "I'm sorry for all the pain I put you through."

"There is one condition, however," Geoff interrupted, "And if you don't agree to it, I will kill you on the spot."

"I'll do whatever you want, Geoff!" Peter replied enthusiastically, "Name it!"

Geoff smiled at this. "I want you to swear to Harry that you will not reveal any information about what just happened to you or where you are now or who brought you here to anyone," Geoff explained, "Certainly more than fair for you, right?"

"Oh yes," Peter agreed, nodding his head rapidly, "If I do that, you won't kill me?"

"That's right Peter," Geoff confirmed, "And you know I'm a man of my word."

"Yes you are," Peter agreed as he turned to look at Harry, "Harry, I swear I will not tell anyone about what happened to me here, where you and Geoff and Snape are hiding out, and I won't tell a soul that Snape is on your side in all this. I swear I won't."

Harry was conflicted. He did not want to see Peter go free again to serve Voldemort, but he knew that Peter would be bound by what he just said. The tiebreaker was that Geoff had Peter do this in the first place. _Geoff must have something in mind for doing this_, he reasoned, _So I should accept this_.

"Peter, I accept your pledge," he declared.

"Oh, thank you Harry!" Peter exclaimed, having found a way off the gallows, "You are such a merciful person. Your parents would be so proud of you."

Geoff slapped Peter immediately at this. "Don't you dare bring James and Lily into this, Peter," he warned.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean any harm by it, Geoff," Peter assured, "Now would you please untie these ropes?"

Geoff replied with a non-verbal spell that loosened all the ropes binding him to the chair at once. Now a free man again, Peter jumped up to his feet and hugged Geoff. "Geoff, I'm sorry for everything," he began before Geoff pushed him away.

"Don't touch me, you rat," he ordered, "Now, follow me."

Geoff led Peter and Harry out of the drawing room and back into the house's main hallway, where Snape was waiting for them. He was stunned to see Peter walking out as well. "I thought I told you to kill him," he said, though there was no concern in his voice, "I'm assuming you're toying with him now."

Suddenly, the color drained from Peter's face. "Geoff, you promised not to kill me!" he shouted, "You can't go back on your word!"

"Peter, relax," Geoff assured, "You have my word. I'm not going to kill you."

Harry saw the confusion in Snape's face as Geoff walked by him. Everyone but Geoffrey stood rooted in place as he took three steps past his best friend and then stopped.

"Peter, I'm not going to kill you," he repeated as he turned around, his expression now one of satisfaction from the utter perfection of their plan succeeding, "Your master, the Dark Lord, will."

At this moment, Peter's world collapsed around him. With a few words, he had gone from being a free man to being a dead man walking again. His mind couldn't comprehend it. "What?" he asked incredulously as Harry looked around in confusion, "What do you mean the Dark Lord will kill me?"

"I'm sending you back to him," Geoff informed as he turned to Snape, "Severus, you will take Peter back to You-Know-Who tomorrow morning from your home. You'll tell the Dark Lord that Peter knows everything about where Harry and I are."

"Geoff, have you lost your mind?" Severus asked, "He'll tell the Dark Lord everything."

"Ah, but he cannot, no matter how much he wants to," Geoff assured, "Isn't that right Peter?"

Peter could not answer, for either way was a death sentence for him. "You see Severus," Geoff continued, "I just had Peter swear an oath to Harry not to tell anyone about what has happened to him today. You-Know-Who will demand the information from Peter, but Peter cannot give it to him. Your death will follow very shortly thereafter, Peter. Unfortunately for you, the master you chose is not going to be as merciful as Harry was to you. But that's what you get for siding with evil, I guess."

The look on Peter's face was absolutely priceless for Geoff. He was frightened beyond words. At last, his past had caught him in the worst way possible. He was going to die at the hands of Lord Voldemort. And he knew it would not be a quick, painless death. Harry was simply too stunned to speak. The total irony of the situation rendered him mute for the moment. But Snape wasn't as taken in as Harry was. "Geoff, he'll go crazy after this," he warned, "He'll demand that I find and kill you. He'll go after your family on the mainland. He'll do anything to get back at you for this."

"True, he will come after me harder than ever," Geoff admitted, "But this is something he will not think out. He will charge blindly after me, panicking like a wounded animal. I'm so close to him now, I can reach out and strangle him. There will be flaws in his plan, and I will exploit them again and again. He will not reach my family, I assure you of that, Severus. Soon, he will forget all about protecting himself. He will leave his last Horcrux completely unprotected and vulnerable. And once we destroy that, my final trap will be sprung. You-Know-Who will finally fall and we will live in peace once again. The guilty will be sentenced to Azkaban and we shall write the history of this century."

"Geoff, please don't do this!" Peter pleaded, "Don't send me back to him! I can't go back to him now, don't you see? Just let me go! Don't condemn me like this!"

"Sorry Peter, but it's too late for your remorse now," Geoff replied as he and Snape walked up to Peter with Snape grabbing hold of Peter, "You made your bed. And now, you will sleep in it… forever. Take him away, Severus."

Snape obliged Geoff's request and began to lead Peter out of the building. Peter was too stunned from all the events that had just happened to resist at first. But halfway to the door, he started to struggle against Snape's grasp. "Please Severus, don't do this, please!" he begged, "I got rid of the ones who made so much fun of you. I got rid of the ones that made you miserable."

"You also got the only person I ever loved killed, Peter," Severus reminded, "And for that, I will never forgive you. And my life is still miserable without James around."

"Geoffrey! You're killing me!" Peter cried out as Severus neared the front door of the house, "You're a killer!"

Geoff looked down the hallway at Peter for a moment and stared into his desperate eyes. And in those eyes he saw that he had beaten the one who had set all this pain and agony in motion 17 years ago. "Peter, the killer in me is the killer in you," he replied simply.

Snape opened the front door and dragged Peter outside, Apparating away from Number Twelve, Grimmauld Place as soon as they were outside and the door had shut behind them. Harry watched as Peter continued to struggle against Severus in vain as the door closed. It was the last time he would ever see Peter Pettigrew.

"And good riddance, Peter," Geoffrey remarked after the door had closed and looked at his hands, which still had some blood on them, "I need to wash myself of that filth."

"Geoff, who did Snape love that Peter got killed?" Harry inquired quickly.

"Harry, I know you have every right to know that," Geoff said, "But you'll have to ask Severus about that and see if he'll answer it. I have no right to do that for him if he isn't ready to do it himself."

But suddenly, Harry remembered the scene with Geoffrey and Severus in The Leaky Cauldron and everything fell into place. The conclusion he came up with was the only logical one, but made him sick to his stomach to even consider it. "He was in love with my mother," he realized, "That's it, isn't it?"

Geoff hesitated for a few moments before nodding his head. "Severus grew up down the street from where your mother and aunt lived when they were children," he explained, "He had a crush on Lily since before he was 10 years old, but he never got the chance to tell her how he felt, though I think she knew how he felt. I tried to get him to open up, but then it all just fell apart after your father hung him upside-down and Severus just lost his temper."

"It all makes sense now," Harry stated as he walked down the hallway slowly, "Why he hates me so much. It's not some debt he owed my father. I'm a living reminder of what he can never have, of what could have been. And when he told You-Know-Who about that prophesy and he realized he would go after me…"

"He tried to convince You-Know-Who to spare your mother's life, Harry," Geoff explained, "And what I said in the Cauldron to Severus about that was out of line. The Dark Lord figured Severus just fancied Lily. The truth was, and still is, that he loved her more than anything else in this world. But I think Severus still sees her in you."

"I have my mother's eyes," Harry admitted.

"Yes, you have Lily's eyes, but you also have so much more of your mother in you Harry," Geoff claimed, "You are a dead ringer for James and you have his pension for getting into trouble. But other than that, you have a lot of your mother in you. Harry, your mother was one of the kindest, gentlest people I have ever met. Your deep well of mercy comes from her, without a doubt. Your compassion for others, even for your enemies, is definitely a trait Lily had. And I think that every time Severus sees you, he feels compelled to protect you, all that remains of his only love, from harm. Harry, please trust Severus. You will not be let down, I swear it."

Harry nodded, still too numb from realization to understand what was happening. At last, all his questions about Severus Snape had been answered. And yet, that answer left him numb and sickened. Had things gone only slightly different back then, he could have been the son of the man whom he despised for so long, the one who seemed to go out of his way to embarrass him and make his life miserable. It was all too much to take in at once.

"And Harry," Geoff continued, "You can't let Severus down either. Keep this in mind, Harry; you are the reason he is with us. In a way, you are his salvation, just as he is your protector, willing to die to save your life without question."

Harry nodded absently. "I think I need to lie down for a while," he remarked as he began walking upstairs.

"Get all the sleep you can now," Geoff said, "Once you destroy the last Horcrux, things are going to happen quickly. We'll have to be ready to take action and bring down You-Know-Who once and for all. Harry, you are our only hope."

"I won't let you down, Geoff," Harry replied as he went upstairs to his room. Indeed, Geoff was right, the finale of his journey was approaching him quickly now. Geoff had said it would all end within the next month. Within the next 30 days, both Harry and Lord Voldemort would face their destinies. One would rise above and be triumphant, while the other would die, paving the way for the other's vision of the world. Harry was determined that his vision must be the one to rule out, but he knew Voldemort wanted his vision just as badly.

But for Harry, this journey was about more than the fate of the world. It was also a journey to justify his status as a hero, a savior, to himself. Ever since he learned that he was a wizard, he was bombarded with praise that he felt he hadn't earned. He garnered attention that he never wanted. And yet he also had what any human being could ever want. He had fortune and glory. Not to mention the heart of a beautiful young woman. Harry realized that his quest to destroy Voldemort once and for all was also a quest for him to justify all that he had. He was trying to show to himself that he could be the hero everyone thought he was. And he wouldn't let them or himself down.

With all these thoughts spinning through his head, Harry went to sleep for a good couple of hours.

----------

"Severus, are you telling me that Peter here knows about the location of Harry Potter?" Lord Voldemort asked his most loyal servant in his current hideout near Glasgow, Scotland.

"I'm almost certain he does, but he will not tell me anything about it," Snape affirmed, using his right hand to hold Peter Pettigrew still by the back of his neck, "Perhaps you can coax an answer out of him, my Lord."

"Before I do that, Severus," Voldemort began, "What is going on with Geoffrey Gryffindor?"

"As far as I'm aware, he's at an international wizard education conference in Barcelona that begins tomorrow," he replied, "He's planning to spend some time with his family as well. I know they are in Barcelona at the moment, but that could change without notice. Geoffrey Gryffindor is a man who leaves nothing to chance."

"Yes, Fenrir found that out to his untimely demise," Voldemort added, "How he learned about Greyback's intentions, I wonder."

This comment was to remind Snape that Lord Voldemort knew Severus had betrayed him to the Gryffindor Family. But Snape was unfazed by this accusation. "Greyback had outlived his usefulness to our cause," he asserted, "Had he succeeded in killing Geoffrey Gryffindor's family, we would have seen the entire country turned against us in arms. Not even the Ministry could stop his uprising. Our plans would have needed serious revision all due to one person's bloodlust. I found that outcome to be unacceptable."

"Yes, Fenrir overstepped his authority by going after Geoffrey's family like that," Voldemort agreed, "I certainly would never have authorized such an action. But Severus, next time you want to eliminate a fellow Death Eater, you consult with me about it beforehand or there will be serious consequences for you. I am in charge here, you understand?"

"Absolutely, my Lord," Snape replied. Of course, it wasn't his intention for anything like that to happen again. He knew the end was near for this war.

"Well, that takes care of that particular issue," Voldemort said as he stood up from his wooden chair and walked toward Peter, whom Snape released, "As for you Peter, do you know where the boy is?"

Peter hesitated and then shook his head. "N-no, my Lord, I have no idea where he might be," he denied, "He may not even be in this country right now."

Voldemort slapped Peter across his face. "You're stuttering because you are lying, Pettigrew," he claimed, "Where is he?"

"I swear, my Lord, I don't know where Potter is!" Peter exclaimed, "Have mercy on me, but I am trying to find them. That's what I told Severus here. But he must have heard me wrong."

"Is that possible Snape?" Voldemort inquired.

"Not a chance," he answered, "The way he told it to me, it sounded like he knows where the boy is. He said he couldn't tell me when I asked about it."

"That isn't true!" Peter shouted, "I never said anything like that! I swear!"

"Peter, Severus here is my right-hand man," Voldemort explained, "If you are claiming he isn't being truthful with me, I need proof of that. Do you have any?"

"Yes! Yes I do!" Peter answered.

Voldemort smirked, which now made Snape sick every time he saw it. "And your proof is what?" he inquired.

"Snape is…," Peter began, but then suddenly stopped in his tracks, a look of fear spreading across his face.

"Snape is what, Peter?" Voldemort asked pointedly, "Tell me."

"I… I can't," Peter replied; fear mounting in his voice and his body, "I can't say to you what it is."

"You can't tell me what you know, Peter, is that it?" Voldemort asked.

Peter hesitated, and then nodded slightly.

Voldemort stared at Peter for a moment, and then raised his right hand. This brought Peter's right hand, the silvery one created for him three years ago by Voldemort himself, to rise up on its own accord and grab Peter's throat. He had no control over it now.

"Then why are you still breathing?" Voldemort asked hypothetically as he closed his fist, which caused Peter's hand to clamp down, choking him.

Peter struggled for the next few minutes, trying to wrench the hand off his throat, but nothing worked. He could still speak, but every time he tried to tell Voldemort anything, he found that he couldn't get the words to leave his mouth. Peter fell on his side, losing energy from the lack of oxygen getting to his brain.

"Peter, do you owe Potter a life debt, by any chance?" Snape inquired.

"Yes, yes I do," Peter answered softly, barely able to get the words to come out now, "I'm sorry."

At this, Voldemort's nostrils flared in anger as he pulled out his wand and pointed it at Peter. "_Avada Kedavra!_" he shouted.

A green jet shot out from the end of the wand and hit Peter in the chest a moment later, ending his life instantly. The silvery hand dissolved into the air a few moments after his death.

He hid it well, but Snape could tell that Voldemort was getting frustrated now. All of those around him were beginning to fail him, just when everything should be going right. He controlled the Ministry for Magic. He controlled the media. He controlled what all wizards and witches in Britain heard and saw. And yet as long as Harry Potter lived, he was not secure. And Voldemort was almost certain that Geoffrey Gryffindor was hiding Potter. Why else would he be presenting as high a profile as he had been recently; posting anti-Ministry articles in various publications and meeting with known members of the Order of the Phoenix in plain sight of anyone who cared to look.

"Gryffindor is distracting us," Voldemort declared, "We need to take him out, and I would prefer it be done soon. Once that happens, the boy will almost certainly have to come out of hiding. And that is when victory shall be mine."

"Do you want me to kill him, my Lord?" Snape inquired.

"No, I don't want to lose you yet, Severus," Voldemort denied, "Whoever I send after him will likely be killed. But once he gets back to Hogwarts, I doubt he will go back out into the open before the school year ends. He will be surrounded by too much security in Barcelona. We have to attack him when he returns to Britain in a week's time. If he approaches King's Cross Station, he is to be arrested by Ministry officials, taken to a dark alley and executed there."

"Arrested on what charges?" Snape asked.

"Murder, of course," Voldemort answered, "Now leave me Severus, and please take that garbage out with you. Dispose of it somewhere. I don't care where or how."

"Yes my Lord," Snape replied as he dragged Peter's body out of the room.

----------

**Author's Notes**: Well, there you have it. You have now seen both sides of Geoffrey Gryffindor. How's your moral compass now? And thankfully, the rat is dead.

Well, if my count is correct, we have nine chapters to go until this story is finished. Buckle up your seat belts, folks. It will be mostly action from this point forward as Harry goes after the last Horcrux, and then Lord Voldemort himself.

By the way, the titles of this chapter and the previous one are a reference to the song "Disarm" by the Smashing Pumpkins.

Until next time, please read, review and enjoy.


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